


When We Were Young

by PeaceBlessingsPeyton



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, FP is a jerk, Fluff, Loss of Virginity, Northside Jughead, Saturday detention, Smut, Southside Betty, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Teenage Drama, heart ache, jughead plays football, some violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2019-08-24 16:15:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 32,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16643549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeaceBlessingsPeyton/pseuds/PeaceBlessingsPeyton
Summary: Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper could not be any more different. Jughead is from the Northside, is star Bulldog of Riverdale High’s football team and he wouldn’t be caught dead anywhere without his prized letterman jacket. While Betty is from the Southside, runs with the Southside Serpents and can always be found wearing flannel and her combat boots.However, after Jughead lands himself in Saturday school detention for starting a food fight in the cafeteria, both he and Betty discover that they have a lot more in common than they could have ever imagined.ORWhat if FP Jones ended up going to college and Alice Smith stayed on the Southside?The Midnight Club AU





	1. Chapter 1

_Jughead walked into the restaurant, his stomach already aching from anxiety. He knew she was going to be here tonight. It was inevitable, he was Archie’s best man and she was one of Veronica’s bridesmaids and tonight was just one of the many events they’d see each other._

 

_He wondered what her initial reaction to his presence would be. Would she smirk at him like she used to? Or would she glare at him in disgust?_

 

_When he thought of her over the years, he either cringed from the last memory he had of her or blushed from the memory of their few promiscuous trists they had in high school._

 

_He entered the room he stood at the threshold, scanning the sea of faces looking solely for hers. When his eyes did eventually land on her, in a black floor-length evening gown, it took everything in his power not to sink to the floor right then and there like a tortured soul praying at the altar._

 

_She was still the beautiful vision she had always been. Golden blonde hair that seemed to glow no matter where she was and luminous green eyes. Without even thinking about it, he went to her, giving in to the invisible magnetic pull between them._

 

_He just wanted to get it over with, he told himself._

 

_He stopped in front of her, his mouth suddenly going dry._

 

_“Hey Betts,” Her old nickname slipped from his lips._

 

_“Hey Jug,” she said, raking her eyes from his head to his toes. “You look good.”_

 

_All the times he had laid awake, wondering what this moment would be like for them, he never, in all those hours lost in thought, imagined it would go quite like this._

 

* * *

 

 

_You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. ~C.S. Lewis_

 

* * *

 

  


**Senior year, Riverdale High School**

 

Doing something you’re not supposed to, simply because you’re parents told you not to.

 

A mood.

 

When Moose Mason dared him to start a food fight in the cafeteria, he knew there’d be consequences.

 

At first, he'd said no but then the entire football team (okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration) kept egging him on. So he picked up a handful of the spaghetti he had for lunch and launched it across the cafeteria.

 

It really turned out to be a spectacular mess.

 

Unfortunately, he forgot to account for one small detail. The one where the entire football team (this time not an exaggeration) denied having any part of the food fight and put all the blame on him.

 

This is what led Jughead Jones, star Bulldog of Riverdale High’s football team to his current situation: Driving with his dad to the school to serve his assigned Saturday school detention.

 

“Was driving me to school really necessary?” he groaned, “I have my own car, I don’t understand why I just couldn’t drive myself.”

 

“Listen here boy,” his dad snapped, “You’re grounded after this stupid stunt and that means no car. You’re lucky Principal Weatherbee agreed to two Saturday detentions because he was originally talking _suspension_. What would college recruiters think with that kind of offense on your transcript?”

 

Jughead rolled his eyes. _Football, college, football, college._ It was honestly all his dad could talk about since the day he was born.

 

He understood his dad’s reasoning for wanting him to go to college and his overbearing zeal for football. His dad had gone to college on a full football scholarship to Michigan State where he studied journalism. After his dad graduated, he didn’t qualify to go pro so he returned home to put his journalism degree to good use and bought the Riverdale Register.

 

He knew that without football, his life would be so different than it was now, but he didn’t share the same dream that his father had for him.

 

“Whatever,” he snapped back as his dad pulled up to the curb, “I’ll see you later.”

 

He went to get out of the car but his dad roughly grabbed his jacket sleeve before he could escape.

 

“Do not embarrass your mother and me more than you already have while you are in detention today. Do I make myself clear?”

 

“Crystal,” he said, pulling his sleeve out of his father’s grip.

 

He sighed with frustration as he watched his father drive away and then turned on his heel to head up the steps to the front of the school. After a few, he raised his head and immediately stopped in his tracks.

 

At the top of the stairs to the school stood Betty Cooper and she was watching him.

 

He glared at her as he began to climb the stairs again. “What are you looking at _Southside_?”

 

She smiled at him, making his blood boil even more. “Geez Jones, who shit in your fruit loops this morning?”  

 

“Hah-hah, real funny.”

 

She shrugged, “I wasn’t trying to be.”  

 

He got to the top of the steps and pulled on the double doors only to find them locked. He tried them again, pulling roughly on the door handles.

 

“That’s not going to do anything,” Betty said.

 

“Why not?”

 

“Haven’t you ever been to Saturday detention before?”

 

Jughead raised his eyebrows at her as if to say- _Seriously?_

 

Betty rolled her eyes, “Of course you haven’t. Coach Clayton has to let us in and he’s always late.”

 

“Good to know,” he grumbled.

 

He sighed again. This would be just his luck. The one moment he wanted to look cool in front of his friends had landed him in so much hot water and now he was stuck spending his Saturday with degenerates from the Southside.

 

His dad was right, he was stupid.

 

He pulled his phone out of the pocket of his letterman jacket and began scrolling through his social media. There had been a party at Reggie’s last night that he, of course, did not go to, but he got the gist of the night from the photos on Instagram.

 

About five minutes went by and there was still no sign of Coach Clayton. Jughead felt annoyance brew in his chest once again. What was the point of showing up on time if coach was just going to be late anyway?

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he observed Betty who was reading a worn copy of Capote’s “In Cold Blood”.

 

Before Southside High merged with Riverdale High a few months ago, he had only seen Betty a couple of times. Sometimes it was at Pop’s or the Drive-In movie theatre and she was always hanging out with gang members in the Southside Serpents. Although she always wore a leather jacket, it wasn’t one like her friends with a giant green snake on the back.

 

He idly wondered why she hadn’t joined the Southside Serpents like the others had.

 

“You’re staring Jones,” Betty said, not bothering to look up from her book.

 

He quickly looked away and back down to his phone again feeling his cheeks burn with embarrassment.

 

Mercifully, Coach Clayton pulled into the parking lot of the school.

 

\----

 

About an hour after they had gotten settled into detention and Coach Clayton ventured off to go make coffee, Jughead could feel Betty’s eyes on him. He had felt them for a while now, but he decided to see how long she would keep it up and continued to work on his calculus homework.

 

When he finished the assignment, he turned to look at her.

 

“Now who’s staring?” he asked, smirking at her.

 

He expected her to turn away in embarrassment as he had done but when she didn’t and simply held his gaze, it gave him a sense of unease he wasn’t accustomed to.  

 

Their eye contact was broken by the sound of Betty’s cell phone vibrating on her desk. She picked it up to look at it.

 

“We’re not supposed to be on our phones,” he chided in a whisper.

 

She rolled her eyes. “Do you always do what you're told?”

 

“I don’t see anything wrong with following the rules. We can’t all do as we please like everyone else on the Southside.”

 

“And what rules, exactly, are we breaking?”

 

He opened his mouth to respond but fell silent. Everything he knew about the Southside he had learned from his father who put something in the paper about either Southside or the Southside Serpents at least once a week.

 

“Well, you must’ve broken some kind of rule to get yourself landed in Saturday school detention.”

 

“Oh yeah? Tell me, was your mommy able to get the spaghetti sauce stains out of your precious letterman jacket?”

 

Jughead gritted his teeth, _boy_ did this girl know how to get under his skin.

 

“Whatever, no one wants you Southsiders here so why don’t you go back to where you came from?”

 

Betty leaned forward on her desk, “Did it ever occur to you that maybe we don’t want to be here either? You Northsiders walk around like we had a say in the matter! If you’re so passionate about getting us out of here, why don’t you start with talking to your pal Josie or better yet her mother Mayor McCoy.”

 

“Maybe I will,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Fine!”

 

“Fine!”

 

“Jones, Cooper! What part of NO TALKING in detention do you two idiots not understand?!”

 

____

 

When lunchtime rolled around, Coach Clayton went off to find his pastrami sandwich leaving him and Betty alone in the room once again. They had barely looked in each other's direction since coach caught them talking. He was annoyed with himself for getting in trouble in the first place and prayed that his father wouldn’t hear anything about it.

 

The silence had given him time to think about what Betty had said to him earlier. He had spent so much time blindly agreeing with his father and other Northsiders that people from the Southside were nothing more than low life gang bangers, that he hadn’t taken the time to consider the opposite side of the argument. Once again he was annoyed with himself because if there was one thing he prided himself on was always investigating his sources and not following the crowd.

 

Why was this any different?

 

He supposed since he learned everything he knew about the Southside from his dad that he never thought twice about it. It was his dad saying these things after all, and his dad wouldn’t lie to him… _would he?_

 

Unexpectedly, he was jostled out of his train of thought from the sound of someone tapping on the window. Turning around, he saw Toni Topaz and Sweet Pea standing outside of it. Betty smiled at her friends as she went to the window and opened it for them.

 

“Special delivery for our one and only jailbird,” Toni said, handing Betty a large white paper bag through the window.

 

“Thanks, T,” she said as she took the bag. Then Sweet Pea handed her two drinks, she thanked him and closed the window.

 

“Hungry?” Betty asked.

 

Jughead furrowed his brow, “Yeah, actually, I am.”

 

“I got Toni and Sweet Pea to bring us Pop’s. I wasn’t sure if you had lunch or not.”

 

His stomach rumbled as the delicious smell of greasy french fries and burgers wafted through his nostrils. His mother had been so angry with him for getting detention that she hadn’t made him any lunch and he hadn’t thought to pack anything for himself. Needless to say, he was taken aback by her random act of kindness.

 

She walked over to him, setting a wrapped burger, french fries and a vanilla milkshake on his desk. He unwrapped the burger and was shocked when he discovered it was made just the way he liked it-- extra cheese, extra bacon, and extra pickles.

 

“How did you…?”

 

She shrugged. “I texted Archie for your order.”

 

He tossed a fry into his mouth. “How do you know Archie?”

 

“Let’s just say, Archie and I go way back.”

 

This was news to him. Archie Andrews was his best friend, how did he not know that he was friends with Betty?

 

“How way back?”

 

“Since birth I guess? My mom and his dad have been friends since high school,” she said before taking a bite of her burger.

 

“Huh,” he said, still trying to put the pieces together.

 

He was definitely going to ask Archie about his friendship with Betty later. Not that it mattered perse, but he wondered why he had never seen the two of them together or why Archie had never mentioned her before.

 

After they finished their lunch, Betty suggested that they take a walk around the school.

 

“No way!” Jughead said, “I’m in enough trouble as it is.”

 

“Coach Clayton takes a nap after lunch, we have plenty of time. C’mon,” she said as she walked out of the room.

 

“How often have you had Saturday school detention?” he asked as he followed her out of the room, first looking both directions for any sign of Coach Clayton.

 

“About a dozen times since Southside closed down,”

 

Jughead stopped in his tracks. “Seriously? That many?”

 

“Well it’s like you said, Southsiders don’t like to follow the rules,” she said, winking at him.  

 

He felt a blush form on his cheeks and pulled at the collar of his undershirt as he felt the heat rush to his face. He wasn’t used to girls flirting with him. He mostly hung around the River Vixens and they were always more interested in Reggie, Moose or Archie. Never him.

 

He had to admit Betty was attractive. She had long golden waves, dark green eyes and clear skin that looked soft to the touch.

 

He continued to walk beside her quietly, listening to the sound of their footsteps echo off the walls of the empty hallways. This would be the only time, he figured, that a Northsider and a Southsider could walk down the hallways peacefully. When no one was around to see it.

 

They ended up in the student lounge. Betty flopped down on one of the couches as he sat down in one of the worn recliner chairs directly next to the couch.

 

“What was Southside High like?” he asked, trying to create some kind of conversation between them.

 

“A hell hole. I’m surprised I made it out of there alive.”

 

He laughed, thinking that she was making a joke. “How so?”

 

“Well let’s see, the Ghoulies were either hopped up on Jingle Jangle or selling it. The school looked like a war zone, the teachers had no control over the classes, we never really learned anything and you could forget going to the bathroom during the school day.”

 

His face fell, clearly she wasn’t joking.

 

“What do you mean? They didn’t have bathrooms?”

 

“No,” she snorted, “People were either hooking up in there, selling drugs or getting jumped.”

 

He couldn’t believe his ears. Southside High sounded like a juvenile detention facility, not a high school.

 

“Even you?”

 

“Which part are you referring to?” she asked, smirking at him.

 

He blushed, “All of it I guess.”

 

“Well,” she said, sitting up. “I’ve never hooked up with someone in the bathroom before, I don’t do drugs and yes I’ve been jumped before.”

 

She lifted the black camisole that she was wearing under her flannel to reveal a bright pink scar just below her ribcage. Without thinking, he leaned forward and ran his fingers tips along it’s edge. He heard Betty take a sharp intake of breath, causing him to look up at her. Their faces were mere inches apart. He felt his heart flutter as that unfamiliar feeling he had felt earlier returned to his chest.

 

“Does it hurt?” he whispered.

 

“No,” she whispered back, looking down to his lips and then back up to eyes once more.

 

The out-of-the-blue tension between them was palpable and he wondered how he could feel like this about a girl he just started speaking to today. Her eyes traveled down to his mouth again as she trapped her lower lip between her teeth.

 

How easy it would be, he thought, to just lean in and kiss her.

 

_Wait, no, that would be crazy._

 

“Why would someone want to jump you?” he asked, clearing his throat while simultaneously scratching the back of his neck.

 

Betty’s gaze fell to her lap, playing with the invisible lint on her frayed jeans as she sighed. “Because of who my mom is.”

 

He looked at her intently then, “I don’t understand, who’s your mom?”

 

“You’ve heard of the Southside Serpents?” He nodded. “Well… she’s the leader.”

 

“You’re serious?” he asked, astounded.

 

“I am.”

 

“So why aren’t you a Serpent?”

 

She shrugged, “I haven’t decided yet if I want to. I always imagined more for myself than this town. I want to become more than just a gang leader’s daughter, more than just what should’ve been a stain on a bed sheet.”

 

He nodded. He knew that Betty had an older sister, Polly. She was roughly 3 years ahead of them and she was captain of the River Vixens when he was a freshman. He didn’t know much about their backstory other than the fact that Polly had a younger sister who lived with her mom on the Southside.

 

Jughead moved to sit next to Betty on the couch and gently placed his hand over hers. She looked at him, her gorgeous green eyes glistening from what he assumed were years of unshed tears.

 

“You are way more than either of those things, Betty Cooper.”

 

She smiled at him, but it wasn’t a genuine one. It was well practiced and hid all the sadness that she held in her heart.

 

“Thank you, Jughead.”

 

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. “You’re welcome.”

 

***

 

They sat in the student lounge for about twenty more minutes before they got up and started making their way back to the detention room, opting to take the long route back.

 

“Can I ask you something?” Betty asked.

 

“Sure,” he said, looking at her.

 

“Why’d you start that food fight in the cafeteria? You had to of known that your friends were setting you up.”

 

Part of him had to laugh as he realized that she was the first person, not his parents, not Principal Weatherbee to ask why he had chosen to do something so out of character.

 

“I guess, I’m just tired,” he said, sighing.

 

She stopped walking. “Tired of what?”

 

“Tired of living up to what everyone else wants me to be.”

 

Before Betty could respond, they heard the sound of a door opening and closing. Without thinking twice, they grabbed onto each other and went into the janitors closet under a set of stairs.

 

Opening the door a crack, Betty looked out to see who was coming.

 

“Shit looks like Coach Clayton is up from his nap.”

 

Adrenaline and anxiety started to pump through Jughead’s already fast beating chest. He felt his chest tighten and clutched his chest as it began to get harder to breathe.

 

Betty turned to face him. “Jones, aren’t you supposed to be athletic? Why are you breathing like that?”

 

He leaned against the wall, clenching his fist so that his nails would sink into the soft plump flesh of his palm.

 

“I can’t- I can’t get... in any more trouble Betty, my dad will kill me.”

 

He thought about how his dad had reacted when they got home from Principal Wetherbee’s office the day of the food fight, which only made his panic attack worse. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears began to sting the back of his eyes.

 

“Jughead, Jughead! Look at me-” she grabbed his face. “-I won’t let you get in trouble okay? This walk was my idea. I have a plan but I need you to calm down first okay? Breathe with me.”

 

They inhaled and exhaled together a few times until he felt his heart rate start to slow. Betty still had his face in her hands and their bodies were mere centimeters apart. Breathing in her scent, a combination of cinnamon and vanilla, helped calm his senses.

 

“Okay, you’re going to continue the way we planned to take back to detention. I’m going to go after Coach Clayton and distract him but I need you to go as fast as you can and get into that room. Do you understand?”

 

He nodded.

 

“Alright, good. I’m going to go ahead of you and make sure the coast is clear. Count to ten and then go for it.”

 

“Okay,” he whispered.

 

Betty opened the door to the closet quietly, before looking both ways and then left, closing the door behind her.

 

He began to count, “one… two… three… four… five…”

 

When he reached ten, he made his move, bursting out of the closet and then running up the stairs. He sprinted down the next hallway, made a left and then stopped. He took a few seconds to catch his breath and then went down the stairs as quietly as he could. When he reached the landing, he could hear Betty call out to Coach Clayton. He continued his descent down the stairs until he reached the corner of the hallway where the detention room was.

 

“Ms. Cooper, what are you doing out of detention?!”

 

“I was in the bathroom,” she said cooly, “It’s my time of the month.”

 

Jughead peered around the corner, to see the coach’s back to him. He started to move down the hallway.

 

“Well, that’s a problem, because you didn’t have permission to go anywhere.” Coach snapped.

 

“Uh, well if someone wasn’t taking their two-hour afternoon nap, I would’ve waited for you to come back,” Betty said crossing her arms.

 

“You better watch your tone with me, young lady.”

 

Jughead made it into the classroom and back to his seat.

 

“I’m sorry, you teach health don’t you Coach Clayton? We both know a tampon has a time limit.”

 

“That’s disgusting Cooper! Now get back into the classroom.”

 

He could hear their footsteps coming closer and he quickly opened his text book to make himself look busy. When Betty entered she winked at him as she walked back to her seat.

 

“Misogynistic pig,” she muttered under her breath.

 

“That’s it, Cooper! I’ve had enough of your bullshit. You just earned yourself another Saturday detention.” Coach Clayton yelled.

 

Betty rolled her eyes, “Greeaaattt…”

 

Coach Clayton pinched the bridge of his nose before taking a deep breath and sighing heavily.

 

“You know what? It’s almost three o’clock, we’re done for the day. Both of you just go home.” And with that, he left the classroom.

 

“Betty are you crazy?!”

 

She smiled at him. “Maybe just a little, but it worked didn’t it?”

 

Betty was right, her distraction had worked and he was able to escape without getting into any more trouble but she was facing the consequences.

 

The two of them packed up their things and headed for the exit of the school. Through the windows, he could already see that his dad was waiting for him.

 

“I’d offer you a ride home but my dad is picking me up,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.

 

“That’s okay, it sounds like you're in enouhg trouble as it is.”

 

"Maybe next time?" He tried not to sound too hopeful.

 

"Sure," she said, smiling at him.

 

He paused to look at her before exiting the building and this time her smile was genuine and for some reason he felt like he was seeing her for the first time. Not as Betty the gang leader’s daughter, or as Betty the Serpent, not even as Betty the Southsider.

 

Just Betty Cooper.

 

He quickly came to realize from this one Saturday with her that she was so much more than all of those things. She was smart, beautiful and kind and as he watched her walk down the block and away from the school he couldn’t quell the excitement rising in his chest as to what the next Saturday with her would bring.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to those of you who have left kudos, comments and have reached out to me about this fic on Tumblr! I adore you <3

**_-1 month before Veronica & Archie’s engagement party-_ **

 

_ Betty cursed as she looked at the time realizing she was late to meet Archie. He was in town for the weekend, so they had made plans to get dinner together at Pop’s. Quickly throwing everything into her bag and shutting down her computer, she ran out of the trailer, locking the door behind her on her way out.  _

 

_ Running across the construction site to her car, she shot Archie a quick text letting him know she was going to be late and then pulled out of the parking lot.  _

 

_ When she entered Pop’s, the iconic bell ringing above her head, she scanned the diner until her eyes landed on her redheaded best friend. He stood as she got closer to the booth he was sitting in and pulled her into a big hug.  _

 

_ After ordering and catching each other up on their lives since they last saw one another, Betty asked, “How’s Veronica?”  _

 

_ She remembered the day Archie called her and said, “I’ve met the one.” She had to suppress a laugh because as much as she loved Archie, he was always meeting someone. But it was the tone in his voice when he talked about Veronica that told her that she was different than all the others.  _

 

_ “She’s been super busy trying to get her business off the ground,” Archie said.  _

 

_ “She’s too good for you.” Betty joked. _

 

_ “Yeah… she is.”  _

 

_ Betty looked up at her friend, something in his voice catching her off guard. Archie looked uncomfortable and was fidgeting in his seat.  _

 

_ Curious she asked, “Are you alright?”  _

 

_ “Yeah, yeah, I’m good… there’s just… something I need to tell you.”  _ __  
  


_ “Oh god! Is Veronica pregnant?!”  _

 

_ “What?!” He exclaimed. “No! No, of course not!”  _

 

_ “Then what is it?”  _

 

_ Archie reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box and placed it on the table between them. Betty gasped, her hands flying up to her face to cover her mouth.  _

 

_ “I’m going to ask Ronnie to marry me, Betty.”  _

 

_ Her jaw dropped, “Oh my god Arch! That’s amazing!”  _

 

_ She peppered him with questions, trying to get a better picture for his proposal plan and helping figure out some of the finer details while they ate their food. She was so inexplicably happy for him.  _

 

_ “There’s one more thing I have to tell you,” Archie said wearily.  _

 

_ “Oh god,” Betty said laughing. “What is it now?”  _

 

_ Archie swallowed, “I’m going to ask Jughead to be my best man.”  _

 

_ Her heart started beating wildly in her chest at the mere mention of his name. It had been almost six years since they last saw each other.  _

 

_ “That’s… that’s great Archie. I’m sure Jughead will be thrilled. How’s he doing?”  _

 

_ Archie shrugged, “As good as can be expected.”  _

 

_ She nodded, remembering the article in the paper about a young football star from a small town who was destined to play for the NFL who got hit by a drunk driver on his way home from the gym two weeks from the draft. _

 

_ They didn’t say much else, paying for the bill and hugging goodbye. Betty made him promise to call her as soon as he had an answer from Veronica.  _

 

_ That night, on her way home from the diner, she stopped by her boyfriend’s house and broke up with him. _

 

* * *

 

  
  


**Senior year, Riverdale High School**

 

_ Forsythe Jones and Elizabeth Cooper, please report to the main office. Forsythe Jones and Elizabeth Cooper, please report to the main office.  _

 

Toni looked up at the intercom in confusion, “What’d you do now?” 

 

“I think the easier question is, what didn’t I do?” Betty replied with a wink. “I should go see what Weatherbee wants, see you in third?” 

 

Toni nodded, “Yeah, I need to go make sure that Sweet Pea and Fangs are behaving themselves.” 

 

Betty rolled her eyes, “Remind them that my mom will make them run the gauntlet again if they get into any more trouble.” 

 

“You got it, boss,” Toni said while giving a mock salute. 

 

Betty cringed as she turned to walk away. She really hated when Toni or any of her Serpent friends for that matter called her “boss” because truthfully, she wasn’t anyone’s boss. 

 

She didn’t want to responsible for anyone other than herself. It was the whole reason why she hadn’t joined the Serpents because one- she didn’t want the added responsibility and two- she was determined to get out of this town. She didn’t know how, but no matter what she was going to make it happen.

 

It’s not that she didn’t like the Serpents, they were her family after all and everyone had been good to her and her mother. She respected Serpent laws, she respected what they stood for, it’s just she knew deep in her bones that if she joined every one would expect her to take over after high school and that… well, that just wasn’t part of her dream. 

 

It made her think about Jughead and what he said on Saturday,  _ I’m just tired. Tired of living up to what everyone else wants me to be. _

 

God, was he unexpected. 

 

It had resonated in her on a deeper level than she had ever experienced with someone else.

 

She knew Jughead was a nice guy just solely based on the fact that he was best friends with Archie. But she had this strong inkling, especially after spending last Saturday with him in detention, that  _ nice guy _ didn’t even begin to scratch the surface of who Jughead Jones truly was. 

 

Before Saturday, she had only known the minimum about him. He was captain and star player of the football team, he was the editor of the Blue and Gold and dabbled in various extra-curricular activities. Most people thought he was a goody-two-shoes and a prude. It was often discussed in the girl's locker room that despite how good looking and charming he was that he had never had a girlfriend before. 

 

All of those things were superficial in her book. 

 

The truth was, he had been more real with her in two lines of a conversation than anyone had ever been. In her opinion, most of the kids at her school were fake. Always concerned about whose family had more money, who had the best car, the best clothes. She honestly wondered if they realized how big the world actually was. 

 

She had a feeling that Jughead did. In fact, she had a lot of feelings about him. 

 

She caught sight of him on the opposite end of the hallway as she rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. He wasn’t wearing his letterman jacket like usual. Instead, he was wearing a light blue cable knit sweater, with khaki pants and brown shoes. Preppy, she thought, but definitely not the worst look. In fact, he looked pretty damn good. 

 

She sighed.  _ Sooooo many feelings.  _

 

“Hey Betty,” Cheryl Blossom called, “The 90’s called and they want their chokers back.” 

 

Betty chuckled, “Funny. Maybe I should just choke you instead.” 

 

“Put your filthy Southside hands on me and I will end you.” Cheryl threatened. 

 

“I’d like to see you try.” 

 

“You know there’s a pretty interesting rumor going around about you right now Betty Cooper. I’d be careful who you threaten because we know how easily a rumor can turn into the truth.” 

 

Betty rolled her eyes, “What rumor?” 

 

Cheryl laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Seriously? Haven’t you seen the bathroom stall lately?” 

 

“I know that’s what you consider ‘light reading’ Cheryl, but have you ever considered reading something with substance?” 

 

“Whatever, keep avoiding. Everyone knows you’re the biggest slut to walk these halls.” 

 

“Aww, upset I took your title?” 

 

Cheryl and her minions gasped and before they could say any more, she continued to walk down the hall. 

 

When she walked into the office, she quickly scanned the room for Jughead before walking over to Weatherbee’s secretary but he was nowhere to be found.

 

“Ms. Cooper, Principal Weatherbee asked me to tell you that Saturday detention has been canceled this week and it will be rescheduled. Here’s a letter to bring home to your mother.” 

 

“Oh,” she said, taking the letter. “Thank you.” 

 

This was good news, she didn’t have to spend another grueling Saturday in this godforsaken school. 

 

So why did she feel so disappointed? 

 

Turning around, she looked the letter over as she began to walk out of the office and back into the hallway but something stopped her. She looked up and felt her breath catch in her throat. Jughead, who was leaning against a locker, looking full James Dean, was watching her. She held his gaze. This was their thing now. Holding each other’s smoldering stares until one of them caved. She felt heat rush to her cheeks as he smirked at her, and this time she was the first to look away. 

 

Feeling what she could only describe as  _ butterflies  _ in her stomach, she trapped her bottom lip between her teeth in a weak attempt to hide her smile. 

 

***

 

After third period, Betty headed down to the cafeteria with Toni. Normally they stayed as far away as they could from the cafeteria knowing it only brought trouble but she had skipped breakfast that morning and was starving. 

 

“Shit, I forgot something back in the classroom. Do you want to come with me?” Toni asked. 

 

“No, that’s okay. I’ll grab us some food and meet you in the library?” Betty suggested. 

 

Toni nodded, “Okay, sounds good.” 

 

Betty walked into the cafeteria feeling a bit on edge. It was a risk for a Southsider to walk into the cafeteria alone but she was determined to get in and out as quickly as possible. Keeping her head held high, she walked straight to the food line and grabbed a tray. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the football table and spotted Archie and Jughead sitting down. 

 

She wondered briefly if Jughead had said anything to Archie about her yet considering how in disbelief he was when she told him that she and Archie were best friends. 

 

When her food was purchased, she walked over to the condiments station so she could get forks and napkins, relief flooding through her that she had almost made it through the cafeteria without an incident. 

 

Just then, Jughead appeared next to her. She froze momentarily, what was he doing? 

 

He reached across her and pulled a few napkins out of the dispenser and then offered one to her. “Napkin?” 

 

She gave him a bemused look. “Sure, thanks.” 

 

“No problem,” he said before walking away and returning to his table. 

 

It wasn’t until she had made it to the library that she realized that he had written his cell phone number on the napkin he gave her.

 

***

 

Betty Cooper wasn’t a pacer. In fact, she was known among her friends to always be the one that was calm, cool and collected in any high-intensity situation. 

 

But as her thumbs hovered over her phone that’s all she could do. It wasn’t that she didn’t know what to say, a simple _‘Hey,’_ would suffice to start the conversation. It was whether or not she wanted to. Whether or not she should. 

 

She sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed. Of course, she wanted to but truthfully, she knew that she probably shouldn’t. He was Northsider after all and a jock. The complete opposite of her. Not only would they not be accepted at school, but her mother would probably lose her mind if she found out. 

 

Who was she kidding? They weren’t a modern day Romeo & Juliet, or a Maria & Tony or any other star-crossed lovers that fate had doomed from the start. 

 

She put her head in her hands.  _ Chill out Betty, he gave you his phone number, he didn’t ask you out on a date.  _

 

“Screw it,” she muttered to herself as she pressed send. 

 

**BC:** Hey, it’s Betty. 

 

She flopped down on her bed, staring at the ceiling until she eventually fell asleep. 

 

***

 

Jughead pulled his phone out of his backpack as he was exiting the locker room after practice and was confused to see a text from an unknown number listed on his notifications. Stepping out of the way of the other football players exiting the locker room, he opened the text. However, he almost fumbled and dropped his phone when he saw the text was from Betty.

 

“Careful not to fumble the ball like that on Friday Jones.” Reggie teased as he walked past him. 

 

Jughead glared at the back of the tall boy’s head before looking back down at the message.

 

The text simply read, _ Hey, it’s Betty.   _ And despite how simple it was, it still made butterflies stir up in his chest. 

 

Walking up to Betty today in the cafeteria and sneaking his number to her was completely out of character for him. She brought something out it him in the short amount of time that he’d known her. He knew he was being ridiculous because there was no way Betty Cooper, the baddest girl from the Southside, would ever want something to do with someone as  _ plain  _ as him. He didn’t even expect her to use it, figuring her and her friends would laugh at him before she crumpled up the napkin and threw it away. 

 

**JJ:** Hey, sorry for the late response. I just got out of practice. 

 

**BC:** No worries. How was it? 

 

He smiled at the text before getting into his car. How was it so easy for them to talk to each other? 

 

They had been so honest with each other about their lives on Saturday, it was almost startling. The only other person he had ever been that open and honest with about his life was Archie and even then he couldn’t remember a time where they had discussed something that  _ deep. _

 

**JJ:** Awful. Friday’s game is important so Coach Clayton is being extra tough on us.

 

**BC:** *eye roll emoji* He’s an ass. 

 

**JJ:** LOL

 

**JJ:** What about you? How was your day? 

 

He pocketed his phone, turned on his car and headed home. When he pulled into his driveway, he felt the telltale vibration against his side and couldn’t help the giddy excitement that bubbled up in his chest. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt like this about a girl or if he had ever felt this way about a girl at all. Before Saturday he wouldn’t have even bothered looking in her direction, let alone taking any interest in getting to know her. But Saturday  _ did _ happen and he was caught off guard by how amazing she was. Even looking past the honest conversation they’d had, Betty had challenged him and he was completely caught off guard how kind she was. Especially during and after his panic attack.  

 

His entire life he had been ridiculed for his anxiety and he had only been teased by his peers when he had had panic attacks in the past. When he was younger, his father would just stand there and tell him to ‘man up’ and to ‘stop being such a wuss’. Over the years, he had learned to hide the signs or he would just dig his fingernails into his palm. He knew self harm was wrong and definitely was not a healthy coping mechanism but the pain helped him focus. But when he had had his panic attack in front of Betty and she had treated him like nothing more than a person, it helped quiet the voices in his head.  

 

He took his phone out of his pocket to look at Betty’s response before heading into the house.

 

**BC:** Not too bad. This cute boy gave me his number so I really can’t complain ;)

 

He bit his bottom lip, smiling hard. Holy crap, she was flirting with him. Betty Cooper was flirting with him! 

 

As he was thinking of something equally flirtatious to say back, a loud rap on his car window made him jump right out of his skin. He immediately turned toward the source of the noise and saw his dad standing on the other side of the car door. Jughead groaned and got out of the car. 

 

“Geez dad, you scared me half to death.” 

 

“Well maybe if you weren’t zoned out on that phone of yours I wouldn’t have been able to.” FP chastised. “How was practice?” 

 

“Fine. Coach is getting us ready for Friday.” Jughead said, his voice clipped. 

 

“You know, that game is more than taking the Bulldogs to the championship. It’s your future.” 

 

“I know dad,” Jughead said exasperated before turning to walk in the house. 

 

“Hey!” FP yelled, grabbing his arm and spinning him around. “You better watch your tone boy or-”

 

“Or what dad?” Jughead snapped, ripping his arm out his dad’s grip. “You’ll do what?” 

 

Suddenly the front door of the house opened and his mom stepped out, “What has gotten into you two? You’re both making a scene! Jughead get in the house right now.” 

 

Jughead turned, walking up the steps, past his mother and into the house. He didn’t bother to stop and say hello to his kid sister Jellybean who was working on her homework at the kitchen table and went straight to his room. After shutting the door, he flopped down on the bed and dragged his hand over his face, sighing. 

 

He knew he was lucky, he knew he was privileged and that there were so many kids his age who had it so much worse than he did. But right now, in this very moment, he hated his life. 

 

He felt his phone go off again. 

 

**BC:** Who knew Jughead Jones was such a smooth badass?

 

He laughed, shaking his head before typing out a response.

 

**JJ:** I guess I’m just full of surprises. 

 

**BC:** That’s the understatement of the year. 

 

The two of them texted back and forth well into the night, discussing their taste in music, movies and books. For the first time in a long time he fell asleep with a smile on his face. 

 

***

Betty was sitting in AP English, trying very hard to focus on the teacher’s lecture on theme and plot advancement in Wuthering Heights. Normally, this class was a breeze for her and the majority of the time she could concentrate on the teacher’s lesson with ease. She was the only student to transfer from Southside High to even be taking an AP, so of course, she had something to prove. 

 

AP English was also the only class she shared with Jughead.

 

They had been texting back and forth all week and she had to admit to herself that she was developing a bit of a crush on him. 

 

Quickly, she risked a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and sighed.

 

Maybe it was more than a bit of a crush. 

 

Since tomorrow was game day, the football players were required to wear a suit and tie. In the past, she and her friends would make fun of all of them and how preppy they looked, blindly following the masses in the name of football.

 

Today, she would do no such thing. Today, she would not make fun of the football players for wearing their Sunday best to school because she was too distracted by Jughead, who, by the way, looked sexy as hell in a suit.

 

He had texted her options the night before, helping him choose a white shirt with a blue paisley tie that brought out the color in his eyes. He turned then, catching her eye before she quickly turned her attention back to the teacher.

 

She felt her phone go off in her jeans pocket.

 

**JJ:** Stop staring at me, Cooper! I’m trying to learn about love and revenge here.

 

She bit her lip, locking her phone screen while shaking her head. Her phone buzzed again, lighting up the screen.

 

**JJ:** You look cute when you blush btw.

 

“Ms. Cooper!” The teacher snapped, causing Betty to jump. “Phones off and away!”

 

“Of course,” She said, quickly throwing her phone in her bag.  “Sorry.”

 

A few minutes later, Jughead caught her eye again. She was a little annoyed at him for distracting her like that, but her heart immediately softened when she saw the look on his face.

 

_ Sorry,  _ He mouthed.

 

_ It’s okay, _ She mouthed back, giving him a small smile.

 

Although she spent the rest of the class period looking at the teacher, it was safe to say she didn’t learn a single thing at all.

 

***

 

**JJ:** Are you coming to the game tonight? 

 

**BC:** I don’t go to football games, Jones. 

 

**JJ:** Not even for your favorite player?

 

**BC:** You mean Archie? 

 

**JJ:** Ouch, you wound me! 

 

**BC:** JK, of course I will be there.

 

***

 

Friday Night Lights. There were no sports teams at Southside High, so going to football games was new for Betty and her friends. Despite the fact that they were hated, she and her friends were desperate to just be normal high school kids who went to football games and enjoyed the energy high of everyone’s school spirit. 

 

Betty surveyed the crowd from her spot on the bleachers, Toni was sitting next to her and Sweet Pea and Fangs were sitting behind them. The Riverdale marching band was in full swing entertaining the crowd with their music until it was time for the River Vixens to do their opening routine before the game. 

 

Toni nudged her, point her chin towards the cheerleaders, “Cheryl talked to me today and it wasn’t all dripping with hate and sarcasm.” 

 

She rolled her eyes, “You know they’re never going to accept us right? We will always be southside trash to people like Cheryl Blossom.” 

 

“I know,” Toni said shrugging, “but I plan to kill her with kindness anyways. Do you ever notice how lonely she is?” 

 

Betty looked over to where Cheryl was lining up the cheerleaders, she supposed she never thought of it that way. She put her arm around Toni and pulled her in for a hug. 

 

“Your kindness is always what I am going to love the most about you T. Just be careful with your heart okay? If Cheryl hurts you I’m going to have to fight her and I’m trying to make it out of Riverdale High without a suspension.” 

 

“Well, you know, since it’s all about you…” Toni said, rolling her eyes good naturedly. 

 

The two girls giggled, hugging each other a little tighter before letting go. 

 

“So,” Toni said, leaning closer to Betty’s ear. “What’s going on with you and the quarterback?” 

 

Betty immediately turned scarlet. 

 

“W-hat?” she stammered. “What are you talking about?” 

 

Toni smirked at her. “I think you know exactly what I am talking about.” 

 

Mercifully, before Betty could respond, the River Vixens started their routine turning Toni’s attention to the red headed cheer captain. 

 

***

 

The Riverdale Bulldogs beat the Baxter High Ravens 21-14 with Jughead catching the winning touchdown in the last five seconds of the game. The crowd had gone wild and Jughead had punted the ball, celebrating his victory. The team sprinted toward him across the field and lifted him onto their shoulders. He looked for Betty in the crowd, she looked so proud, cheering for him from the stands. 

 

For a brief moment, he wondered if his heart had ever felt so full. 

 

After the game, he planned to go home and shower and then meet his teammates at Pop’s. He debated texting Betty to see if she would be there. He was thinking that maybe if Archie was there too, they could all hang out together. 

 

When he got to his car, he was surprised to see his dad standing there waiting for him. 

 

“Hey dad, I didn’t realize you made it for the game.” 

 

“Of course I did, I haven’t missed a single one of your games since you started playing.” His father replied. 

 

Jughead stared at his father. There was something off about him. He was swaying a little bit and he could’ve sworn his dad smelled like… alcohol.

 

“Dad… you okay?” Jughead asked wearily. 

 

“I’d be better if you had more than a seven point lead against the other team.” His dad said bitterly. 

 

“Dad c’mon! We won, we’re going to the playoffs! Why can’t you just be happy?” 

 

“Scouts don’t care about the playoffs if you’re not playing your best Jug! You played like crap out there tonight!” 

 

Rage, like nothing Jughead had ever felt, rose in him. He clenched his fists. 

 

“God! Nothing I ever do is ever going to be enough for you, is it?!” Jughead yelled. 

 

“What did I tell you about your tone with me boy?!” FP yelled back, grabbing Jughead by his jacket. 

 

The two men struggled for a few moments, fear and adrenaline coursing through Jughead’s body. His dad was stronger than him, but not by much. He managed to push his dad off of him, his dad stumbled backwards. Jughead was breathing hard, tears already streaming down his face. 

 

“How dare you put your hands on me!” FP roared. 

 

Before Jughead could react, his dad wound his fist back and punched him in the face. Jughead fell backwards, his hands coming up to cover his eye. He quickly recovered, getting to his feet just before people started running towards them. 

 

FP looked like he was going to be sick. “Jug, Jughead, I’m so sorry.” 

 

Grabbing his things from the ground Jughead said, “Get in the car dad.” 

 

“Jug-” 

 

“I said get in the fucking car!” Jughead screamed back at him. 

 

Listening to his son, FP stumbled around to the passenger side of the car, barely closing the door before Jughead peeled out of the parking lot. They didn’t speak one word to each other the whole way home.

 

*** 

 

Jughead was laying in bed, one arm tucked behind his head as he stared at the ceiling, Panic! At the Disco playing softly in the background. 

 

He looked over at the clock, _ 1:30am.  _ He sighed, furiously wiping the tears from his cheeks. He hadn’t been able to stop crying as the fight with his father kept replaying in his mind. His dad had been getting more physical with him lately, but he had never hit him before. 

 

His phone buzzed over on his dresser but he ignored it. He knew his friends were probably wondering where he was but he couldn’t bring himself to care. If life was fair at all, a black hole would open up any second now and swallow him up. 

 

_ *tap, tap, tap* _

 

Jughead sat up, his brows furrowed in confusion as he stared at his window. 

 

_ *tap, tap, tap* _

 

Cautiously, he got out of bed and started moving towards the noise. He was shocked to see a flash of blonde in the moonlight. 

 

“Betty?!” He whispered incredulously as he opened the window. 

 

“Hey, Romeo. Nurse off duty?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! 
> 
> What'd you think? I have to tell you that I love this fic so much already and I can't wait to share the rest of it with you. Especially for those of you who are interested in what Betty and Jughead will be like as adults! Ahhhh- I'm so excited :) 
> 
> As always, I hoped you enjoyed this update and I look forward to reading your thoughts/comments. Also- don't forget to come and visit me on Tumblr @peaceblessingspeyton. 
> 
> P&B,
> 
> -Peyton


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to those of you who have left kudos, comments and have reached out to me about this fic on Tumblr! I adore you <3

_ “It was Junior year. Phones had cords, Winona had Johnny, and everything smelled like teen spirit. The world was a different place and we were very different people. Back then I was Alice Smith, a bad girl from the wrong side of the tracks with enviable hair, no real friends and one huge problem.” ~Alice Cooper, Riverdale, The Midnight Club _

 

**-Junior Year, Riverdale High School-**

 

_ Alice was heading to the Blue and Gold office with Fred Andrews. It was Saturday and they were serving their second of three Saturday detentions. Their friends were off playing G&G, a game they had recently found in a teacher’s desk but she wasn’t feeling right that morning and needed a break so Fred offered to come with her.  _

 

_ When they entered the Blue and Gold office, Alice immediately clutched her stomach as the room began to spin.  _

 

_ “Alice are you okay?” Fred asked, “You look- here, sit down.”  _

 

_ Gently grabbing her by the elbow, Fred guided her to a stool and she sat down on it willingly, tears already streaming down her face. _

 

_ Pulling up a chair in front of her he said, “Hey, you can talk to me.”  _

 

_ She looked away from him. Could she talk to him? Could she tell her friend, Freddie Andrews, the boy she used to play in a sandbox with her deepest darkest secret?  _

 

_ Fred squeezed her arm, “Alice, what’s up?” _

 

_ “I’m-” she choked back a sob, “I’m pregnant.”  _

 

_ Fred sat back in his chair, completely stunned. She bit her bottom lip trying to contain her emotions as much as possible. _

 

_ “Wow, I was not expecting that. Who’s is it?” he asked.  _

 

_ “FP’s,” she said quietly, looking down at her hands in her lap.  _

 

_ “Does he know?”  _

 

_ She shook her head, “I tried to talk to him and he blew me off for some Vixen he’s screwing.”  _

 

_ Fred pressed his lips into a thin line while shaking his head, “Alice... I’m sorry. I know you and FP weren’t exclusive but you deserve better than this.”  _

 

_ “No, I don’t,” Alice said sobbing.  _

 

_ Fred’s face softened.  “Hey, hey come here.” he cooed as he pulled her into his arms.  _

 

_ Alice pressed her face into the crooked of his neck, gripping the collar of his shirt as she continued to cry. She never wanted to tell anyone about her pregnancy but she knew that she could trust Fred and more importantly, she knew that he wouldn’t judge her.  _

 

_ After a few minutes, she pulled out of Fred’s embrace and wiped her tear stained face with her hands.  _

 

_ “What am I going to do?” she asked, shakily.  _

 

_ “I don’t know, but I promise you we will figure it out together.” he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “You are not alone in this, okay? Not anymore.”  _

* * *

 

**Senior year, Jughead’s House**

 

Jughead Jones wasn’t a risk taker and even more so, he wasn’t a rule breaker. He respected rules, taking comfort in their structure. He also never disobeyed his parents and although they never set a rule that said, “No girls in your bedroom” or even more fitting to the current situation, “No letting girls through your bedroom window after midnight.”- Betty Cooper climbing through his window made adrenaline and anxiety pump through his chest. 

 

“What are you doing here?” he asked. Still in shock that she was standing in front of him. 

 

His eyes swept over her slim figure,  _ god damn _ , did she have to be so attractive? She was wearing her signature leather jacket, a red flannel shirt, black jeans, and her combat boots. 

 

“You weren’t answering my texts, I was worried about you.” 

 

“Worried about me?” He asked confused, “Why would you-” 

 

Realization dawned on him, she must’ve seen the fight he had with his dad. He flushed red with embarrassment, that was the last thing he wanted her to see. 

 

“Oh my god Jug,” she said reaching up to gently caress his face, “Your eye.” 

 

Normally, he would’ve flinched but instead, he leaned into her touch. “I’ll be okay.” 

 

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, dropping her hand. 

 

Jughead sighed as he began to pace back and forth across his bedroom. “They’re crazy. My parents are crazy.” 

 

“They’re parents,” Betty said, “They’re all crazy.” 

 

“No, but mine are actually crazy. My dad has been… getting out of control lately.” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

“My dad has been hounding me about being the best football player since the day I could hold a ball. He’s always pushed me and  _ nothing _ , nothing is ever good enough for him. Especially now that division one college scouts are looking at me.”

 

“What does your mom say about it?” 

 

“She is more concerned about what other people think about her family than her husband punching her son in the face.” He seethed. 

 

He felt his body start to shake as fresh tears started to sting the backs of his eyes, his fists automatically clenching. 

 

Betty looked down at his hands. “Hey, don’t do that.” 

 

She closed the distance between them and tenderly unclenched his fists before lacing his fingers with hers. 

 

“All I can think about is what if I’m crazy too, you know? What if I become just like my dad? What if I’m horrible to my own kids too?” 

 

“Hey, we’re all crazy.” Jughead chuckled softly at her words, rolling his eyes. “We’re not our parents Juggie, we’re not our families.” 

 

He looked down at his feet, begging the tears not to fall. 

 

“Hey,” She softly grabbed his chin, tilting it up so he would look at her. “I promise you, you will be neither of those things Jughead Jones.” 

 

His breath caught in his throat, she was repeating his own words from last Saturday back to him. 

 

The next moment went slow and in the blink of an eye all at once. He brought his hands up to cup her face, his heart racing as he leaned in and went for it, eyes closed. Their lips connected sending shock waves through his body, his skin tingling all over as the butterflies went wild in his stomach. 

 

He pulled away slightly, they were still only centimeters apart. 

 

A moment passed, a pause between them, it could’ve been seconds or minutes or hours as they felt the palpable connection they had. They had felt it before, he had at least but it was like the kiss solidified everything for him. 

 

She smiled up at him, connecting their lips again. Their first kiss had been so incredible that he didn’t think the second would even compare but when Betty’s tongue skimmed his bottom lip he realized how wrong he was. He opened his mouth in tandem with hers as his tongue slipped past her lips as they began to make out languidly. It was sweet, simple and soft and he enjoyed every second of _ their _ moment. 

 

They pulled away as their eyes fluttered open, smiling shyly at each other as they looked into each other's eyes. 

 

“Wow,” he breathed. “That was amazing. You’re amazing.” 

 

She giggled, “You’re pretty amazing too.” 

 

***

 

The following evening, Cheryl Blossom and her twin brother Jason decided to throw a party since their parents were away at a maple syrup retreat for the weekend. Normally, Betty would stay far away from an event like that and would even go as far as advising the other Southsiders to steer clear as well but Toni begged her to go. 

 

Betty felt for her pink-haired best friend, knowing all too well that Toni’s crush on a certain red-head was growing. So, against her better judgment, she agreed to go.  

 

It was just after midnight when they arrive at Thornhill. The party supposedly started around eleven, but Betty didn’t want to be the first ones there. She yawned as they walked up to the house, not having fully recovered from practically staying up all night with Jughead. 

 

She smiled at the thought, absentmindedly touching her lips as they tingled from the memory of his lips against hers. They had kissed on and off well into the early hours of the morning but if they weren’t kissing, they just talked. He told her more about his parents and their unreasonable expectations when it came to school and football. She got the feeling that he didn’t show this side of himself to people often and she felt honored that he trusted her enough to show it to her. 

 

He kissed again before she crawled back out the window, thanking her for turning his terrible evening into a memorable one. 

 

They could hear the music bumping from the house as they got closer to the front entrance. 

 

“Do you think we just knock?” Sweet Pea asked. 

 

Toni shrugged, “I don’t think so. I think we just walk in.” 

 

“Hmmm….” Fangs hummed, “That’s 50/50 odds that we embarrass ourselves. What do you think Betty?”

 

However, their question was answered for them when they got in front of the door and it opened with Cheryl and her brother standing in the entrance way. 

 

“Ugh, who invited trash to this party?” Cheryl sneered. 

 

“Cheryl, be nice would you?” Jason commented. “Ignore her, come on in.” 

 

“Thanks, Jason,” Betty said.  

 

From what Betty had observed, Jason was the complete opposite of his twin sister. While Cheryl was cold and harsh, Jason was kind and warmed up to almost anyone he interacted with. He and Betty shared Calc 1 together and he had only ever been nice to her. 

 

They walked through the house, taking in its enormous size and overwhelming gothic architecture. She had almost made her way to the back of the house when she heard him. She knew she should keep walking and not take a detour on her way to the back of the house, but like a moth to a flame, she couldn’t resist the temptation.

 

She peeked around the corner and saw Jughead standing by the fireplace talking to Valerie Brown. She couldn’t tell what they were talking about but jealousy stirred inside her when Valerie laughed at something he’d said reaching out to touch his arm. 

 

She was flirting with him. 

 

Betty clenched her fists, she knew that she and Jughead  _ just  _ kissed, that was all. That didn’t make them anything, it didn’t make him hers. 

 

She pulled out her phone- 

 

**B:** Having fun? 

 

She knew it was petty and that he didn’t deserve it but she just couldn’t help herself. 

 

She waited, watching as he pulled out his phone, staring down at the screen in confusion before he looked around for her. Finally, their eyes locked briefly before she tore his gaze from his and disappeared back around the corner. 

 

***

 

After getting that text from Betty, Jughead had been miserable for most of the night. He hadn’t seen her much since said text message and he wasn’t 100% sure how she would feel about him seeking her out and talking to her in front of all their peers. 

 

Dammit, why did girls have to be so confusing? He and Betty had an amazing time the night before… didn’t she understand that he was only into her? That a girl like Valerie Brown didn’t even hold a candle to how extraordinary she was? 

 

He groaned inwardly, checking his phone for the 100th time.

 

“Dude, what is wrong with you tonight?” Reggie asked, “You look like someone kicked your puppy.” 

 

“Nothing is wrong with me.” He snapped. 

 

“I’m just saying,” Reggie continued, “There is plenty of tail here, why don’t you catch some and actually lose that precious V card you’ve been holding on to?” 

 

“Shut up, Reggie.” 

 

Reggie went to speak again but Archie cut him off, “C’mon Reg, leave it already,” 

 

He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, desperately ignoring the urge to dig his nails into his skin. 

 

“I need to use the bathroom,” Jughead grumbled. 

 

He walked towards the back of the house, taking one of the only stair cases he knew led to a bathroom. He’d be embarrassed to admit that he’d gotten lost at Thornhill before. Just before he reached the bathroom, someone stepped out of a hall closet and grabbed him. 

 

“What the-” 

 

Betty’s vibrant green eyes met his own as she shut the door behind them before pulling his lips to hers for a drugging kiss. He was shocked at first, but after a beat, he snaked his dexterous fingers into her golden waves, deepening it. 

 

She moaned softly into his mouth as she grabbed his shirt collar, pulling him impossibly closer. Getting the hint, he wrapped his arm around her lower back pulling her flush against him as they continued to kiss wildly and untamed. 

 

God if someone had told him that throwing a handful of spaghetti across the cafeteria would eventually land him in a closet making out with a drop-dead gorgeous girl he would’ve done it ages ago. 

 

She released his shirt collar, trailing her fingers lightly down the plains of his chest, over his stomach until she reached the waistband of his jeans. He felt his breath catch in his throat as her nimble fingers skimmed the skin just above the elastic of his boxers. He wrenched his mouth away from hers, breathing hard, desperate to string together some kind of coherent thought. Her hand traveled south as she cupped his erection on the outside of his pants. 

 

“Is this okay?” she asked. 

 

He nodded, lifting his shaking hands and unbuttoning the top bottom on her plaid shirt. “Is this?” 

 

“Yes,” she breathed, nodding her head quickly.

 

He finished unbuttoning her shirt, pushing it off her shoulders as he ran his thumb along the line where her creamy alabaster skin met her dark lacey bra. She shivered under his touch as she continued to rub him on the outside of his jeans. 

 

“Tell me if you want to stop,” he said shakily. 

 

Biting her bottom lip, she brought her hand up pressing her palm to his stomach and sliding it down slightly so just the tips of her fingers dipper beneath his boxers. 

 

“I will,” she answered. 

 

In his seventeen years of life on planet earth, he never thought someone as beautiful as Betty Cooper would look at him with so much hunger, lust, and passion in their eyes. He always, considered himself plain. Not that he ever thought he was terrible looking, he felt confident in his looks (most of the time) but he knew he’d never be the “hot jock” like Reggie and Archie that girls were looking for. The way Betty looked at him made him feel powerful and more aroused than he ever thought was humanly possible. 

 

In complete synchronization, Betty slid her hand down into his pants, her hand gently wrapping around his impossibly hard erection just as his hand slipped into the cup of her bra. Both inhaling sharply before crashing their lips together again and again and again. 

 

Adults were definitely not wrong in their plight against teenage hormones.

 

He was surprised at how rough they were with each other, kissing each other hard, their free hands wandering all over each other’s skin. Betty’s hand was still working over his erection and it started to feel himself build. However, as hot as hooking up with Betty was, if he came in his pants before they left it would be painfully obvious not only to his friends but to their rest of their peers as well. 

 

“Wait, wait-” he panted, reluctantly pulling away from her. 

 

Betty’s movements immediately stopped as she pulled her hand out of his pants. “What? Are you okay?” 

 

He chuckled at the pure irony of her question, “Tell me you can leave this party right now and come back to my house.” 

 

He knew how desperate he sounded, but he hoped his request wasn’t too far fetched. 

 

“I can’t leave Toni,” Betty said quietly, “We came here together, I can’t just leave her without raising suspicion.” 

 

“Would it be so bad if it did?” he (half) joked. 

 

“Of course not,” Betty said emphatically. 

 

“Are you sure?” Jughead challenged. He wasn’t sure where this was coming from, but all of the sudden it was important for him to know that she wasn’t ashamed to be seen with him. 

 

“Yes Juggie,” she leaned up, running her teeth along his jawline to his neck. “You want to go continue this on the Blossom’s pool table downstairs because I’m all for public displays of affection.” 

 

He turned scarlet at the idea of them continuing their tryst in the public eye. 

 

“No,” he said, swallowing loudly. “That’s okay.” 

 

“Rain check?” she asked, dipping her head so she could keep eye contact with him. 

 

He smiled at her, “Yeah, rain check.” 

 

She went to leave but he reached out and caught her wrist, “Hey wait-” 

 

He brought his right hand up to cup her cheek, stroking it softly with the pad of his thumb as he leaned and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. 

 

“What was that for?” she asked. 

 

Her smile made his heart ache. 

 

“For continuing to make my nights memorable.” 

 

***

 

Waking up for school on Monday hit Betty like a ton of bricks. She hadn’t gotten more than two hours of sleep the whole weekend and now that her adrenaline had worn off she was feeling the effects of sleep deprivation. When she got home Saturday night after the party at Thornhill, she found her mother passed out and bleeding on the front steps of their trailer. Panic struck her body because, at first look, she thought her mother was dead. 

 

Fortunately, Sweet Pea had still been with her and he helped Betty get her mother inside and onto the couch. She called around, trying to figure out what happened and who she was with that night but no one had answers. 

 

When her mother came to the next day, she admitted that she had gone to see Penny Peabody and the meeting had gone south. Betty was furious with her mother, yelling at her for her stupidity not only doing business with the  _ Snake Charmer _ but going alone as well. 

 

Her mother’s response? 

 

A slap across the cheek. 

 

Betty hadn’t seen her mother since she stormed out of their trailer Sunday morning. 

 

Hence what led her to getting to school forty-five minutes earlier than she had to be. She just needed to be somewhere else than that god awful trailer. Somewhere else than the Sunnyside Trailer Park. As she approached the school, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. 

 

**J:** Hey you (: You at school yet? 

 

Betty smiled ridiculously at her phone. What was it about ‘Hey you’ and a smiley face that made her heart stutter in her chest? She hadn’t talked much to Jughead since their meeting in the closet at Cheryl’s party. He had sent her a few texts throughout the rest of the weekend but she didn’t really have time to respond. 

 

**B:** Just got here. Hbu? 

 

**J:** I’m in the Blue & Gold office doing some editing, want to swing by? 

  
  
**B:** Already on my way :)

 

Despite how tired she was, the pure happiness and excitement from seeing Jughead put an extra pep in her step. When she opened the door to the Blue and Gold office, she found Jughead sitting at a desk hunched over his laptop. He looked up at the sound of her opening the door. 

 

“Working hard or hardly working?” she quipped, raising an eyebrow at him.

 

He smirked at her before getting up from where he was sitting, closing the distance between them before pushing her back against the door with his hips as his lips crashed to hers. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she kissed him back with just as much fervor. 

 

Jughead was the first to pull away, pressing his forehead to hers as he let out a shaky exhale. 

 

“Morning Betts,” he said, kissing her cheek before taking her hand and leading her over to where he was sitting. 

 

“That’s how you say good morning?” she giggled. 

 

He chuckled lightly as he took his seat back at his laptop. Betty sat down next to him taking in her surroundings. She had seen the Blue and Gold office before when the door had been open but she’d never been inside it before. It was definitely dusty and a little worse for wear. 

 

“How was the rest of your weekend?” he asked. 

 

She shrugged, “Uneventful.” 

 

He cocked his head to one side, studying her. “Are you sure?” 

 

“Yes. Why do you ask?” she said defensively. 

 

His face softened as he placed his hand over hers. “Betts… you know you can tell me anything right? Just because I have my own shit going on doesn’t mean you can’t tell me about what’s going with you too.” 

 

She sighed heavily, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth as she looked anywhere but him. There was something about the way he was looking at her and the tender softness in his voice that struck a chord with her. People always claimed they cared for her in the past, claimed they’d be there for her but she always ended up disappointed. She wanted to believe Jughead, believe that he meant what he was telling her but she didn’t think she could handle it if there was ever a time his words weren’t true… not with him. 

 

“I’m just...tired,” she said weakly. 

 

Since the beginning of their relationship, the word ‘tired’ meant so much for her and Jughead than its actual denotation and she hoped that he would pick up what she was trying to tell him without saying too much. 

 

He nodded solemnly before getting up and walking back over to the office door and locking it. 

 

“What are you doing?” she asked confused. 

 

He walked over to the couch at the back of the office, “Come here.” 

 

She got up and walked over to where he was standing by the couch. He laid down first and then opened his arms to her. Without hesitation she laid down with him, half her body wedged between him and the back of the couch while she snuggled the other half on his chest, her head just below his chin. 

 

He started softly carding his fingers through her hair, “I know you’re not ready to talk about whatever is going on with you yet but I promise you that when you are, I’ll be here.” 

 

She nodded, already feeling the tears start to fall. 

 

“Shh…” he cooed, tightening his hold around her. “You’re safe here with me, just close your eyes and rest for a bit. I’ll wake you up when it’s time for class.” 

 

“Okay,” she whispered. 

 

They laid there for a few moments, Jughead fingers combing through her hair lulling her to sleep.

 

“Juggie?” she asked sleepily. 

 

“Yes, baby?” 

 

“Thank you.” 

 

He kissed the top of her head. “Anytime Betts.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! 
> 
> Sorry this took me a little longer than two weeks to get this chapter out. Life has been busy! 
> 
> Soooo.... what did you think? This Bughead's first kiss- ahhhh! Also, what do you think about the canon moments with the role reversal?? 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed this update and I look forward to reading your thoughts/comments :)
> 
> P&B,
> 
> -Peyton


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to those of you who have left kudos, comments and have reached out to me about this fic on Tumblr! I adore you <3
> 
> This story is unbeta'd so please forgive an errors! :)
> 
> ALSO- This chapter is dedicated to makingitwork. Thanks for the inspiration and forcing me to include Shawn Mendes lyrics in this chapter! Muah!

**_-The night before Archie & Veronica’s engagement party-_ **

 

_ He was nervous. There was no way of denying how nervous he actually was. He purposefully straightened his fingers as he walked to his kitchen to get another cup of coffee, he wasn’t going to sleep tonight anyway so he didn’t see the point in denying himself one of his most simple pleasures.  _

 

_ As the coffee machine whirred in the background, he looked out the window to the city skin line. She was out there somewhere, probably staying at a hotel instead of with Archie and Veronica like she normally did.  _

 

_ Ever since his accident two years ago, there had been so many times he had missed her. So many times his fingers legitimately itched to just pick up his phone and call her, just to hear her voice, just to have someone familiar “get him” on the level only she ever could- but he never did.  _

 

_ They had left things on such a bad note when they were younger that he didn’t think calling her out of the blue would be appropriate.  _

 

_ But it didn’t change the fact that he thought about her. A lot. Way more than what would ever be considered normal.  _

 

_ Would she even recognize him now? So much had changed since his accident. Things were different.  _ He _ was different.  _

 

_ Hearing the coffee pot finish, he adjusted the grey beanie on top of his head and poured himself a cup.  _

 

_ Speaking of his grey beanie, he wondered if he would finally get the chance to ask her about it. Maybe not tomorrow night but another time in the near future that they would see each other. He could finally ask her why he had woken up from his surgery two years ago, tears stains on his hospital gown, with her voice in his head, enveloped in her scent and the very same beanie he was wearing tonight under his fingertips.  _

 

_ The very same beanie she wore all those years ago.  _

* * *

  
  


Betty walked out to the kitchen heading straight for the coffee pot. She was in a surprisingly good mood despite her lack of sleep over the last couple of days and she had a sneaking suspicion that it had everything to do with the Northsider she was secretly seeing. 

 

Once the coffee was ready, she adjusted the grey beanie on top of her head before pouring it into her thermos and heading out of the trailer to meet Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs to walk to school. 

 

Sweet Pea and Fangs were in a deep conversation about whether or not Sweet Pea could get Josie McCoy’s phone number, Toni was looking at her phone and Betty was walking along beside her humming, ‘Lost in Japan’ by Shawn Mendes. Jughead was playing it in the Blue and Gold office earlier in the week and since then it had been stuck in her head. 

 

“Do you got plans tonight?, I'm a couple hundred miles from Japan, and I, I was thinking I could fly to your hotel tonight, 'Cause I-I-I can't get you off my mind…” she murmured as they continued to walk along. 

 

“Someone’s happy,” Toni said. 

 

“What?” Betty asked. 

 

Toni rolled her eyes. “Come on, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you hum before and you’ve had this stupid smile plastered all over your face for the last week. Who’s the guy?” 

 

Betty swallowed, her eyes going wide. “Guy? What guy? There’s no guy.” 

 

“Yeah, right.” 

 

“Why does there have to be a guy in my life for me to be happy?” Betty countered playfully. 

 

Betty felt her phone go off in her pocket, without thinking, she took it out to look at it. 

 

**J:** Good morning gorgeous girl (:

 

Despite the fact that Toni was right there staring at her, she couldn’t help but smile like a loon. 

 

**B:** Morning Juggie :)

 

She put her phone away and found Toni smirking at her. 

 

“Is it a girl?” she asked. 

 

“Toni!” Betty squealed, “It’s no one!” 

 

“You are a terrible liar Elizabeth Cooper and I  _ will _ find out eventually.” 

 

She stuck her tongue out at her friend before Sweet Pea grabbed her attention. 

 

“What are you girls giggling about over there?” he asked

 

“Nothing,” they both said in unison. 

 

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes. “Any idea what your mom is doing about the Ghoulie’s and the Jingle Jangle business?” 

 

Betty shrugged, “I’m not quite sure, we haven’t really spoken since you and I found her bleeding on the steps of our trailer.” 

 

“Wait, what do you mean ‘found her bleeding on the steps of your trailer’?” Toni asked concerned, “You never told me about that.” 

 

Betty and Sweet Pea made eye contact, she had asked him specifically not to say anything to anyone because she didn’t want anyone in the Serpents worrying about her mother’s leadership capabilities. There were plenty of people, plenty of men in the Serpents that had been itching to take control and they would do just about anything to get it. 

 

“T, I’m sorry…” Betty began to say, “It’s not that I didn’t trust you it’s just Sweet Pea and I found her and I didn’t want anyone in the Serpents to think something was up with my mom. Plus she wasn’t too happy when I questioned her about it anyway.” 

 

“What do you mean?” Fangs asked. 

 

Betty sighed, “My mom… she uh… she slapped me when I asked her about what happened and then stormed out of the trailer. I haven’t seen her since.” 

 

“SHE WHAT?!” Toni yelled, stopping altogether. 

 

Betty winced, “Keep your voice down!” 

 

“Betty that is not okay, you know that right? No matter what was going on with your mom, she had no right to hit you.” 

 

“I know that Toni.” 

 

“And so help me, if she does it again I’m storming over there and slapping her right back. Serpent leader or not, no parent should hit their kid.” 

 

“Yeah,” Fangs added, “We’re here for you Betty, no matter what. No Serpent stands alone.” 

 

“Guys, I’m not a Serpent, you know this.” 

 

“That’s the biggest piece of bullshit I have ever heard,” Sweet Pea grumbled.

 

Betty looked at the faces of her three best friends. Life might have been really shitty for her at the moment, but at least she could count on the three of them through thick and thin. 

 

“Aww, are we going to hug it out, you guys?” Betty asked with faux sweetness. 

 

Toni and Fangs both rolled their eyes before Sweet Pea said, “Well I wasn’t going to suggest it because you three would never let me hear the end of it but since you said something first,” Sweet Pea said before pulling all three of them into a group hug. 

 

“This forced affection is hurting me,” Toni whined. 

 

“Shut the fuck up Toni,” Sweet Pea snapped back. 

 

All four of them laughed.

 

***

 

For the first time in his life, Jughead’s dad was going to miss one of his football games. Both of his parents had been invited to a journalism conference in New York City and since The Register and his parent's reputation revolving around journalism in the town of Riverdale were more important than his football career, they definitely couldn’t miss it. 

 

However, his dad didn’t miss the chance to lecture him about how important it was to play his very best just in case scouts were there. Jughead just nodded mindlessly at him, already thinking about his walk to school where he would see Betty. 

 

He had only known her for two weeks and somehow she was all he could think about. Although they hadn’t totally figured out how to be around each other at school just yet, they texted constantly and she always met him after football practice in the Blue and Gold office. He never would’ve thought when he revived the Blue and Gold that it’s four walls would become his sanctuary in more ways than one. He also never would’ve thought that he could find a sanctuary in another person… 

 

Betty was so vastly different than him in more ways than he could count. She wore dark clothes, came from the Southside, ran with a gang and was never afraid to speak her mind. She had this free spirit that he was just drawn to and that he couldn’t get enough of. Growing up, his parents always taught him to be polite, to show the practiced Jones smile, to keep up the facade. And he had done that for  his entire life except when he was with Betty. There was a freedom in spending time with her, even from the very beginning and he relished in it. 

 

“Hey, Jughead!” Archie called as he exited his house and ran to catch up with him. 

 

“Morning Arch, what’s up?” 

 

“Not much, you ready for the game tonight? Should be the toughest one yet.” 

 

Jughead nodded, they were facing the Greendale Panthers and the game tonight would determine whether or not they would be heading into the championship bracket. 

 

“We can beat them. As long as Reggie doesn’t decide to be a one-man team and call the shots.” 

 

Archie snorted, “Yeah, seriously.” 

 

“You going to Pop’s after?” Jughead asked. 

 

“Of course, I think I’m going to meet up with my friend Betty.” 

 

It took everything in Jughead’s power not to come to a screeching halt. 

 

“Betty Cooper?” he asked. 

 

“Yeah, have I ever introduced you two?” 

 

Jughead shook his head, “No but uh… we met in Saturday school two weeks ago.” 

 

“Oh, that’s right! Man, she is always getting into trouble but she is like my oldest friend.”

 

_ Then how come you’ve never mentioned her? _

 

_ Keep calm.  _ “That’s cool, she seems nice.” 

 

He felt his phone go off in his pocket.

 

**B:** Are you at school yet? I’m dying to see you. 

 

He smirked.

 

**J:** You saw me less than 24 hours ago babe. 

 

**B:** That’s too long! Hurry up and get your cute butt to school. 

 

**J:** So you’re a butt girl? Huh, I never would’ve expected that. 

 

**B:** Juggie! 

 

**J:** ;P

 

**J:** I’ll be there soon. 

 

**B:** :D <3

 

“You got a hot girl you’re not telling me about?” Archie commented. 

 

“What?” 

 

Archie shrugged, “You’re smiling like an idiot and there’s a lot of heart emojis going on there.” He motioned to Jughead’s cell phone screen. 

 

“Psh hot girl? There’d have to be one interested in me first. No dude, it’s my Mom wishing me good luck at the game tonight.” 

 

“Uh-huh, whatever you say, man.” 

 

***

 

True to her word, Betty was waiting for him when he got to school. He walked into the Blue and Gold office and she practically pounced as soon as he closed the door behind him. 

 

She threw her arms around his neck pulling him in for a drugging kiss as he slipped his hand beneath her leather jacket, favoring the bare strip of skin just above her jeans. 

 

He pulled away, absolutely breathless as he squeezed his eyes shut. Opening them again, he looked down at her and couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the smug look on her face. 

 

“You know exactly what you do to me when you do that don’t you?” 

 

She bit her lip, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

 

He chuckled, releasing her and walking over to his desk to set his backpack down. 

 

“You ready for the game tonight?” she asked, following him before perching herself on the edge of the desk. 

 

“It depends,” he commented, “Are you going to be there tonight?” 

 

Her face fell, “I have something to do tonight Jug, I’m sorry.” 

 

“Something?” 

 

“Yeah, _ something, _ something you know I can’t tell you about.” 

 

Despite how well things were going between them, every time they got on the topic of Betty’s personal life she hadn’t offered many details since they had Saturday detention together. He sighed, he didn’t want to push her but he was getting frustrated with the fact that he felt like she didn’t trust him. 

 

“Why don’t you trust me?” he questioned, not being able to look her in the eye. 

 

“Juggie,” she said, hopping off of the desk. “I do trust you.” 

 

“Then how come you never tell me what’s going on with you?” 

 

“Jug- please I really don’t want to fight this morning.” she said quietly. 

 

“Tell me!” he demanded, “I’m tired of you keep me in the dark, so why? Why won’t you tell me?” 

 

“Because it’s dangerous for you to know that kind of information!” she snapped. 

 

“Dangerous? Why because you don’t want me getting close to you?”

 

She shook her head. “That’s not it and you know it.” 

 

“Then what is it exactly?” 

 

She glared at him, “Did you forget that my mother is the leader of the Southside Serpents? Or are you really just as dumb as the rest of the Northside jocks?”

 

“Don’t call me dumb!” 

 

“Then stop acting that way!”  

 

They glared at each other for a long moment. He knew that part of him was wrong for starting the fight in the first place, but his feelings for her were so intense already he just wanted to be apart of her world and the very fact that she was so resistant… hurt. 

 

“Forget this,” she said, “I’m out of here.” 

 

Grabbing her backpack, she strode the door opening and slamming it shut behind her without a second glance back. 

 

***

 

Betty felt terrible about her fight with Jughead. She knew it was stupid and that she let her temper get the best of her. She was already fighting so much in her life the last thing she wanted to do was fight with him. Pushing the people that she cared about away was always easy for her, she’d done it her entire life. 

 

But how could she push him away when she felt like this? Like a light came on the moment he entered her life… how could she push him away when every time she looked at him she realized he was all she ever wanted? 

 

She didn’t want to keep Jughead in the dark but she had meant what she said when she told him it was too dangerous. Tonight included. The Serpents were doing a run tonight for Penny Peabody and Betty knew something was bound to go wrong. She might not have had the tattoo on her arm to prove it, but by blood she was a Serpent and she was going to be there come hell or high water. 

 

If for any reason the run did go south, the last person that needed to be involved was Jughead. She also knew that if he knew that she was putting herself in danger how concerned he would be and considering how important tonight’s game was for his future she just couldn’t have that.

 

Despite all of this, she couldn’t quell the anxiety in her chest from the simple knowledge that he was mad at her. Which is what brought her to her current situation- throwing all caution to the wind and standing under the bleachers by the entrance of the football field. She was hoping she’d somehow be able to get his attention so that she could apologize about their fight earlier and wish him good luck. 

 

She realized luck was on her side when the football team made their way out to the field and Jughead was in the back falling behind. Watching him for a moment, she immediately felt guilty when she noticed how sad he looked, knowing it was her fault. She never wanted to be the reason for Jughead to be sad at all. 

 

“Juggie!” she half yelled, half whispered. 

 

He turned his head towards her immediately, a mix of bemusement and happiness crossing his face. 

 

“Betty?” He looked back towards his team before running off to the side to meet her.

 

She wrung her hands in front of her. What if she apologized and he didn’t care? 

 

“What are you doing here? I thought you had somewhere to be?” 

 

God, she never thought a jock would ever, ever be her type but looking over Jughead in his football uniform, a few of his curls falling forward she could definitely see the appeal. He raised an eyebrow at her. 

 

“Betts… the game’s about to start. I have to go.” 

 

“No wait!” she said, grabbing him. “I came to tell you that I’m sorry, that I know I’m hard to get to know but I’ve never felt about someone the way I feel about you and if you just give me a second chance I promise to try harder at being more open with you.” 

 

It wasn’t exactly the apology she rehearsed in her head but she hoped it was enough for him to forgive her. 

 

A dazzling full teeth grin broke across his face as he scooped her up in his arms and spun her around before setting her feet back on the ground and pulling her in for a drugging kiss. She gripped his jersey in her hands to steady herself as she kissed him back with just as much fervor. They pulled away when they heard the sound of a whistle blow out on the field. 

 

“You know exactly what you do to me when you do that don’t you?” she said, repeating his words from that morning. 

 

He smirked at her, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

 

She kissed him one more time. “Good luck tonight, I’m sorry I can’t stay but I’ll see you later okay?” 

 

“Do you promise?” 

 

She felt herself go weak in the knees, her heart beating wildly in her chest from the hope in his sparkling stormy blue eyes. 

 

“Yes, I promise.” 

 

He kissed her cheek one more time, before putting his helmet on and running back to the field.

 

Her phone vibrated in her jeans pocket, immediately distracting her. It was from Toni. 

 

**T:** Where are you? It’s almost time to go. 

 

***

 

Jughead was having a great night. The Bulldogs won the game officially putting them into the playoffs from the first time in ten years. If he had to, he probably would’ve labeled it one of his top five games which was perfect because a recruiter from Michigan State had met with him and coach Clayton after the game. 

 

_ Depending on how you play the rest of the season Mr. Jones, Michigan State is interested in giving you a full ride. _

 

His mind had been whirling since then and he was glad coach Clayton was there for the conversation since both of his parents were out of town. 

 

Now he was on his way to Pop’s to meet Archie and the rest of the team but he was giddy for a completely different reason. He knew Betty was supposed to be there to meet Archie and a part of him (okay, maybe all of him) hoped that they could all hang out together. If it went well, he planned to ask Betty if they could at least tell Archie about their relationship. 

 

Betty made him so inexplicably happy, he wanted to shout about it at the tops of his lungs all the time and at least telling one person would give him some relief. 

 

He entered the diner, the iconic bell ringing over his head and signaling his arrival. He scanned the diner looking for blonde waves and gorgeous green eyes and was immediately disappointed when he didn’t see them anywhere. He did, however, spot Archie at a booth in the back. 

 

“Jughead! You made it.” Archie greeted. 

 

“Yeah, I’m surprised to see you here though. I thought you were meeting your friend?” 

 

Archie shrugged, “I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” 

 

After a few hours, after the burgers had been ordered and eaten and the empty milkshake glasses had been cleared from the table, Betty still hadn’t shown up to Pop’s. Worry and annoyance coursed through him- she promised she would see him later and here she was breaking that promise. 

 

As he was leaving Pop’s he checked his phone one more, sighing heavily when he saw that there weren’t any new notifications and headed home.

  
  


***

 

Betty’s whole body ached as she climbed the ladder leading up to Jughead’s bedroom window. She knew that this was probably the last place she should be but after the night she had but she was determined not to break her promise.

 

He opened the window after she tapped a few times on the glass a smile breaking across her face as she took in his sleepy disheveled appearance. 

 

“Betts?” he asked as she climbed into the room. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I made you a promise, remember?” 

 

“Where have you been? I was worried when you didn’t show up to Pop’s.” 

 

“Pop’s?” 

 

It dawned on her then that she had completely forgotten about her plans with Archie. She made a mental note to text him later to apologize as she looked over her shoulder at her redheaded best friend’s bedroom window. Or she could just text him right now and tell him to look out said window, then he’d really know about her and Jughead. 

 

She turned back around to face him and found him giving her a look that she could only describe as confused and full of dread. 

 

“What?” 

 

“Betty is that…” he stepped closer to her opening her leather jacket. “Is this blood?” 

 

_ Shit.  _

 

To say the run that Penny Peabody and her mother had organized had gone south was an  _ understatement.  _ Betty was 99% sure that the only reason why Penny had agreed to make a deal with the Serpents at all was so she could set them up. She had meant it when they had fought earlier that it was dangerous for him to know certain information but at the same time she didn’t want to lie to him either. 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Is it yours?” 

 

“No.” 

 

“Are you going to elaborate?” 

 

“No.” 

 

“Oh,” he said softly, dropping her gaze. 

 

“But not because I don’t want to.” She said quickly, “It’s because-”

 

“It’s dangerous for me to know.” He said, cutting her off. 

 

“Yes.” 

 

He looked at her for a long moment, his lips pressed into a thin line with a hard look on his face like he was thinking. 

 

“Are you ever going to tell me?” 

 

The look on his face and the tone of his while he asked the question made her anxious. 

 

“No, no I’m not.” 

 

He sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed. “Betty, I have to be honest here. I don’t know if I can do this.” 

 

_ No. _ “Do what?” 

 

“This-” he motioned between them- “Us.” 

 

Her heart started to race in her chest. “Why? Because I won’t tell you about the Serpents? I can’t Jughead it’s too-”

 

“Dangerous! I know,” he yelled, standing up again. 

 

She jumped at his outburst. “Why are you so upset?” 

 

“Because Betty! You show up at my house in the middle of the night, bruised and bloodied and you won’t tell me why. Do you know how frustrating that is, that my girlfriend is clearly putting herself in danger and she won’t tell me a single thing about it.” 

 

“Wait- girlfriend?” she asked quietly. 

 

“Not to mention,” he continued, completely ignoring her question. “I barely know anything about you and no one knows about us. You know how badly I want to talk to you at school or hold your hand, kiss you? But I can’t, because for some reason the girl I care so much about doesn’t want anyone to know about us.” 

 

“Jughead, no! That’s not it.” 

 

“I don’t think this is going to work. I don’t know if  _ I  _ can do this.”

 

_ No, no, no, no, no. _ This wasn’t happening, why did people always leave her? She tried to think of something, anything that would convince him to stay. 

 

Walking over to his bedroom window, she threw it open. 

 

“Archie!” Betty yelled, “Archie!”

 

“Wait, what are you doing?” Jughead asked.

 

She ignored him. “Archie!” 

 

“Betty- stop.  You’re going to wake up the whole neighborhood!”

 

She could care less about the whole neighborhood. She hoped she woke up Mr. Andrews too, it would save her the trouble. But before she could yell Archie’s name again, Jughead’s hand came over her mouth as he pulled her away from the window. 

 

“Betty,” he hissed, “Okay, okay you made your point.” 

 

Releasing her, he walked over to the window, closing it. 

 

Her mind was still racing, if he wasn’t going to let her tell Archie until the morning she had to think of something else. 

 

“My favorite color is magenta.” 

 

He tilted his head to the side, eyebrows furrowing. “What?” 

 

“My favorite color is magenta, my favorite dessert is cheesecake and I still sleep with the same stuffed giraffe I’ve had since I was five years old.” 

 

He shook his head crossing his arms. “Why magenta?” 

 

“It’s the color of the sky right before the sun goes down.” 

 

“Why cheesecake?” 

 

“My mom always gets it for me on my birthday,” 

 

“And the giraffe’s name is?” 

 

“Garry, after the snail in Spongebob.” 

 

He shook his head again, a bemused look on his face. “Why are you doing all of this?” 

 

She closed the small amount of distance between them, wringing her hands in front of her. “Because Jughead, I can’t tell you anything about Serpent business but I will tell you everything else. Just, please, please don’t end this.” 

 

She knew she was begging and by doing so, she was making herself incredibly vulnerable. An emotion she'd never been comfortable with.

 

“We’ll tell Archie?” he asked. 

 

“Yes, we will tell Archie about us.” 

 

He sighed, dragging a hand over his face. “Okay.” 

 

She smiled. “Okay?” 

 

He laughed, “Yeah, okay.” 

 

She squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around the small of her back, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss. His lip against hers was a sweet relief as the remaining anxiety from their conversation melted away. 

 

She broke the kiss, pressing her face into the crook of his neck as she caught her breath. 

 

“I should go,” she said eventually, “We both have Saturday detention bright and early tomorrow.” 

 

He tightened his hold on her, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head. “Or you could stay,” 

 

She looked up at him, he had said it so quietly she wasn’t even sure if he had made the suggestion himself or if she had imagined it. 

 

“Stay.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone!!! 
> 
> Oyyyyy I am so sorry this took forever to update! I think I got too in my head about the details and stressed myself out. Anywho, as always I hope you enjoyed this update! 
> 
> Looking forward to reading your thoughts and comments :)
> 
> P & B,
> 
> -Peyton


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to those of you who have left kudos, comments and have reached out to me about this fic on Tumblr! I adore you <3 Also thank you to those of you who waited patiently for the last MONTH for this update. 
> 
> This story is unbeta'd so please forgive any errors! :)

**_-Two weeks after Jughead’s accident-_ **

 

_ “I don’t understand,” she said, tears running down her cheeks.  _

 

_ Jughead sighed, “Val I’m sorry okay? But this is over.”  _

 

_ “How?” she demanded, “How do you go from proposing to me less than eight weeks ago to ending things altogether?”  _

 

_ He shook his head because truthfully he didn’t have an explanation, he just knew.  _

 

_ “I’m sor-”  _

 

_ “Don’t! Don’t tell me your sorry because ‘sorry’ doesn’t make up for the last four years of our relationship, sorry doesn’t make up for me standing by you throughout all the bullshit and your football career and sorry definitely doesn’t make up for me staying by your side since your accident.”  _

 

_ He sighed again, adjusting the grey knit beanie on top of his head.  _

 

_ “Jughead please,” she pleaded, “I know things are different, I know you are different but please... don’t give up on us.”  _

 

_ He looked into her chocolate brown eyes, ones he stared into countless of times. He needed a clean break, he needed to be honest.  _

 

_ “Listen, Val, I love you but something happened to me the night I died on the operating table okay? When I woke up I was just… different. I don’t see the world the same way I used to and unfortunately, that includes us.” He stepped forward, cupping her cheek with his hand and placing a soft chaste kiss on her forehead. “Goodbye Val.”  _

 

* * *

  
  
Waking up next to Betty Cooper, his _ girlfriend _ , had to be one of the best feelings Jughead had ever experienced. She was ethereal in the morning light, tucked into his side with her blonde hair spread over his arm like a halo. He’d never really cuddled with anyone before, but after spending the night with his limbs wrapped and tangled with hers he finally understood what all the fuss was about.

 

Turning to look at her, bringing his hand up and stroking her cheek with his thumb. Last night definitely hadn’t gone the way he thought it would. After Betty stood him up at Pop’s he was ready to call it quits. He didn’t want to of course, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what they were or what they were doing and he was tired of it. 

 

He smirked to himself. _ That damn window.  _

 

They hadn’t done much after she agreed to stay. He’d given her one of his t-shirts and a pair of boxers to sleep in and gave her some space to shower and get ready for bed. When she was done, she crawled under the covers with him and after he turned off the bedside light they both fell asleep. 

 

It was, by far, one of the best nights he’d ever had and it was all because he got to spend it sleeping next to her. 

 

However, despite their reconciliation, it didn’t change the fact that her clothes, that were lying in a pile on his floor, still had blood on them. It also didn’t change the fact that he was worried about her. He could tell whatever was going on with the Serpents wasn’t good and he wondered how much danger Betty was really in. 

 

Enough that she believed that if she told him anything, he would be in danger too. 

 

Speaking of the Serpents, he wondered if they would ever approve of their relationship or if anyone would for that matter. The way the town of Riverdale was split, you would think it came straight out of some Shakespearean play. _ 'The Northside and the Southside' _ , he rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. Why couldn’t they just be people? Why did it matter what side of the town they came from? Besides, he didn’t want his star-crossed love with Betty to end in tragedy. 

 

In fact, he didn’t want it to end at all.

 

Just then, the memory of the scout from Michigan State came unbidden to his mind. There were only a handful of games left in the season and if he kept playing the way he did, there was a high probability that he was going to get an offer from a division one school. His moment, the one he’d been working for his entire life was finally here and even though he knew he should be excited, all he could think about was Betty. 

 

What he felt for her was so _ intense _ , that was the only way he could describe it. He’d gone the majority of his adolescence not even having a crush on a girl and then he met Betty in Saturday school and it was like someone had turned the light on. 

 

It had only been two weeks and somehow she was all could think about. It had only been two weeks and somehow the mere thought of going away to college without her seemed near impossible. 

 

He didn’t even know if Betty wanted to college or what she would study if she did. He wondered how it was possible to feel so much for someone when you knew so little about them. 

 

She stirred in his arms, bringing him back to the now. 

 

Her eyes blinked open, a bemused look on her face. “G’morning,” she grumbled sleepily. 

 

“Good morning to you too,” 

 

She stretched like a cat, groaning softly. 

 

“Were you watching me sleep?” she asked, blushing slightly. 

 

He bit his bottom lip. “I might have been.” 

 

"Juggie,” she said, giggling, "that’s weird."

 

He wrinkled his nose. “But you’re just so cute in the morning.” 

 

He shifted, putting the majority of his body weight on his elbow so that he could lean over her. Leaning in, he kissed her running his hand from her ribs down to her thigh. She gasped softly, threading her fingers into his hair as she deepened the kiss, pulling herself flush against him. 

 

He groaned, pure sweet friction. He was beginning to discover that when he was like this with Betty, his more carnal instincts started to kick in and the voices in his head demanding his perfection started to quiet down. 

 

It was freeing. 

 

But, unfortunately for him, 'quiet' didn’t mean completely gone and he couldn’t resist the urge to look at his alarm clock to see what time it was. He had his second Saturday detention with Coach Clayton after all and therefore, he couldn’t stand the thought of being late. 

 

Betty continued to kiss jawline, forging a path of sensual kisses from his jaw down his neck until she found his pulse point and began to nip and suck. 

 

He groaned again, a war beginning to wage within himself. 

 

“Wait, wait, wait,” he all but begged. 

 

“What is it?” she asked as she began to retrace the path she had just made with her lips. 

 

“We have detention this morning, or did you already forget?”  

 

“I didn’t forget,” she teased, “it’s just that this is so much better than detention.” 

 

He chuckled. “C’mon Betts we don’t want to be late.” 

 

“You’re a stickler for punctuality aren’t you?” She asked, rolling her eyes as she threw the covers back. 

 

***

 

Once they got settled in detention and Coach Clayton had left them to go take his morning nap, Betty took the opportunity to check her phone. 

 

_ Shit.  _

 

She had so many missed messages. 

 

**AA:** Hey, what happened to you last night? Is everything okay? 

 

**TT:** Where’d you go? 

 

**TT:** Are you okay? 

 

**SP:** Got your mom back to the trailer. She’s asking about you… I didn’t know what to say. 

 

**FF:** Hey Toni’s worried about you… let us know you’re alive when you get a chance! 

 

**Mom:** Elizabeth Cooper you did not come home last night. I demand to know where you are! Call me as soon as you get this. 

 

She sighed heavily, putting her phone back into her pocket and putting her head down on the desk, the coolness of the wood calming her anxiety. She supposed it was pretty shitty of her to just disappear last night. But after everything went down the night before, it made her realize how much she didn’t want this life for herself and then all she could think of… was him. 

 

Turning to look at Jughead, she smiled. He was currently studying, a textbook opened on his desk along with his notebook as he bit the end of his pen deep in thought. 

 

Her polar opposite, she mused. Even on a Saturday, he was still dressed in jeans, a pale yellow polo, and his letterman jacket. While she was wearing a dark blue flannel button down, a tight-fit lacey camisole underneath and ripped jeans. Her dark to his light.

 

“You're staring again,” he tsked, not bothering to look up from his work. 

 

She blushed. “I think staring is our thing now, don’t you? And even if it wasn’t, have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re insanely hot.” 

 

She bit her bottom lip, trying to hide her celebratory smile when she saw the tips of his ears turn pink. 

 

“I’m trying to study here, Cooper stop distracting me,” 

 

She leaned over her desk, so she could whisper into his ear. “Sometimes, distractions are a good thing.” 

 

She watched as he visibly shuddered before he sighed and closed his book. 

 

“Fine but I’d like to use this time to get to know more about you.” 

 

She kept her face blank as she resisted the urge to run. She wasn’t used to willingly sharing information about herself, but being more open was one of the conditions Jughead had for staying together. 

 

“Ask away,” she said, leaning back in her seat. 

 

“Tell me about your life after Riverdale,” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

“Like, what does your future look like post high school?” 

 

“I know what I would like it to look like,” 

 

He didn’t respond, clearly indicating that he was waiting for her to continue. 

 

“I’d like to go to college, somewhere in New York State or further if the opportunity was there and I would study creative writing.” 

 

The piqued his interest. “Creative writing? Why haven’t you come to write for the Blue & Gold?” 

 

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “You know why,” 

 

He was silent for a moment and she prayed he wasn’t about to start an argument about why she should come to write for the Blue & Gold. 

 

“So why creative writing?” 

 

She shrugged. “It’s an outlet for me I guess. When I’m working on my novel I-” 

 

“Wait,” he exclaimed cutting her off, “you’re writing a novel?” 

 

“Yes,” 

 

“Can I read it sometime?” 

 

She hesitated. “Maybe,” 

 

“Oh come on Betty! I’m a really great editor, you can trust me.” 

 

“Eh, I don’t know,” she teased, “I’ve seen your lack of semi-colons in your writing.” 

 

“That’s ridiculous!” 

 

She rolled her eyes, completely ignoring him. “Okay, so what about you? What does your future look like post Riverdale?” 

 

“Get accepted into a division one school, study journalism and get drafted into the NFL and…” he paused, looking back down at his textbook like he was unsure of what he wanted to say next. 

 

“And what?” she asked. 

 

He lifted his head to look at her again and she felt her heart stutter in her chest from the look in his eyes. A look that she had searched for on so many named and nameless faces her entire life but was never able to find until now. 

 

“And you.” 

 

Time had always been a fickle thing to Betty. It had always gone too fast when she wanted it to be slow, and too slow when she wanted it to fast. But now? In this moment with Jughead, two little words hanging between them, for the first time ever she felt time stand still. 

 

“Say something,” he breathed. 

 

“Juggie I-” 

 

“Jones, Cooper! What part of NO TALKING in detention do you two idiots not understand?!” 

 

***

 

For the next hour, while Coach Clayton decided to exert his authority in the detention room, Jughead’s heartbeat felt like a sledgehammer in his chest. He could see Betty sending him pleading glances every once in a while out of the corner of his eye but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her. 

 

How could he have been so stupid? 

 

They’d only known each other for two weeks and now he was going to lose her because he’d opened his mouth. He winced internally at the thought, why did he have to be so soft? He imagined the other guys on the football team laughing at him for being the type of idiot who wore his heart on his sleeve all the damn time. 

 

He blamed her, for coming through his window on the night he and his dad fought and kissing him. For giving him a safe space when he was with her to just  _ breathe. _ He shouldn’t have let himself get used to it, that feeling of freedom when he was with her because it was about to be gone. 

 

He felt his chest start to tighten as he balled his hands into fists on his lap. 

 

_ Stupid, stupid, stupid.  _

 

He couldn’t stand it any longer. “Coach, can I go to the bathroom?” 

 

“Go right ahead,” Coach Clayton said, not bothering to look up from his sports magazine. 

 

It took everything in his power not to bolt straight from the room. He closed his textbook, carefully tucking his pencil into its pages and then without looking at Betty, got up and walked out of the room. Instead of going to the closest boy’s bathroom in that hallway, he decided to go to the boy's locker room where he could sit for a little while if he needed too. 

 

After making his way through the door, he headed straight for the sinks at the back of the locker room. Turning on the cold water faucet, he let it run for a few seconds before he cupped his hands under the running water to splash water on his but paused when he saw his palms. 

 

Angry, red and bleeding crescent marks. He sighed, putting his hands back under the water so he could clean them. He couldn’t remember the exact moment his anxiety got so bad that he started hurting himself. Maybe it was his first year of high school when his dad’s expectations for football and getting into a division one school became almost too much to bear. 

 

“Jug?” 

 

Betty’s voice practically made him jump right out of his skin from surprise. 

 

“Jesus, Betty! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” he hissed, turning around to face her. 

 

She cringed, “I’m sorry, I just came to see if you were alright.” 

 

“I’m fine.” 

 

She sighed, closing the gap between them. “Let me see,” 

 

He hadn’t realized until that moment that he was hiding his hands behind his back. He held his hands out to her palms up. 

 

She gasped softly, “Jug, do these hurt?” 

 

He looked at the ground, his lips pressed into a thin line. “No,” 

 

Grabbing his wrist, she led him over to a bench and then disappeared around a set of lockers. He didn’t even bother to ask where she was going because she returned a few moments later holding a first aid kit. 

 

Placing it down next to him, she kneeled down to the ground and opened the kit taking out gauze, medical tape and triple antibiotic ointment. Carefully, she took one of his hands in hers and with the other applied some ointment to the wounds on his hands. He watched her work, loving the way her eyebrows knit together when she concentrated. 

 

After the first hand was done she said, “Is this… did you do this because of me?” 

 

He swallowed, “What? No Betty, of course not.” 

 

“Then why?” 

 

He wanted to lie, he didn’t want to admit to her that the mere idea of losing her before they even had a chance to begin made him sink his fingernails into his skin. But he knew he couldn’t lie to her. 

 

“Our conversation about the future,” he answered quietly. 

 

She held his gaze for a moment, nodding slowly before she started taking care of his other hand. 

 

“Did you know I’ve never met my dad?” 

 

This was news to him. “Wait, what?” 

 

“Yup, we’ve lived maybe ten miles from each other my entire life and I’ve never met him.” 

 

“You never wanted to?” 

 

She shook her head. “More like he never wanted to.” 

 

He remembered their conversation from the first Saturday detention they had together.  _ I’ve always imagined more for myself than this town. I want to become more than just a gang leader’s daughter, more than just what should’ve been a stain on a bed sheet.  _

 

“Do you know what it’s like growing up and feeling like nobody wants you? That even your own mother doesn’t love you and sees you as nothing more than a disappointment?” 

 

His heart ached for her. No matter how many fights he and his dad got into, he never had to wonder if his dad wanted him or loved him. 

 

“No,” he answered honestly. 

 

She applied a piece of medical tape to the gauze on his hand and stood up to put the items she used back in the box before closing the lid. He stood, taking the box out of her hands and placing it back on the bench as he saw tears start to fall down her cheeks. 

 

“Betts, hey-” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

 

“You are the first person to ever want me Juggie,” she said, her chin trembling, “and that scares the shit out of me.” 

 

“I will always want you, Betty.” 

 

“How can you know that?” she demanded, “How can you know that after two weeks? You don’t know anything about me.” 

 

“I don’t know Betty, okay? All I know is that when I am with you and even when I’m not, I feel this intense need to never be away from you.” 

 

She was quiet for a moment but she held his gaze with her gorgeous green eyes and he realized that no one had probably ever seen her this vulnerable before. His heart warmed at the thought that she trusted him enough to bare this side of her soul to him. Only him. 

 

“I’m just scared that if you get to know me that eventually you’ll find something you don’t like and that’ll be that.” 

 

He shook his head. “Not possible,” 

 

“You don’t know that Jug, I’ve done things okay? Things I’m not proud of, for my mom and for the Serpents. I’m not a good person, I’m not good enough for you.”

 

“Hey, that’s my decision, not yours. I know this is scary, I didn’t even so much as have a crush on a girl and then you walked into my life and now you’re all I can think about. But I know you feel the same intensity that I do,” he put his hands on her hips guiding her backward toward the wall. “Tell me you don’t feel it, tell me I’m not on your mind all the time, tell me-” 

 

“I do Juggie,” she said, slipping her fingers into his hair as her back hit the wall. “You know that I do.” 

 

He leaned to the side, running his nose up the column of her neck, feeling her shiver beneath his fingers. “You are good enough for me Betty, you are so good for me.” 

 

She gasped as he started to kiss her neck, slowly adding pressure with his tongue and biting gently. He kept his hands firmly on her hips which she was angling forward to meet his. He moved hands towards the front of her jeans, unbuttoning them and then sliding the zipper down. Betty grabbed his face, yanking his mouth to hers before sucking his lower lip into her mouth and biting gently. He groaned, pushing his erection into her and completely caught off guard by the lightning strike that went up his spine from the feeling of her teeth on his flesh. 

 

He pushed the flannel off of her shoulders, and bringing his hands down around her thighs, he lifted her. Her back hit the wall again as she threw her arms around his neck, a soft moan escaping her lips. They started to kiss again, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist as he rocked his hips into hers. 

 

Suddenly, they both heard the door of the locker room open making them freeze instantly. Putting Betty down, she grabbed her flannel shirt off the floor and shrugged it back on before grabbing his hand and leading him away from the noise. They went through the gym, giggling and looking over their shoulders as soon as they made it back out into the hall. 

 

“Oh my god,” she said, leaning into him. “I can’t believe we almost got caught.” 

 

He pressed his forehead to hers, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat. “I can’t believe we got interrupted.” 

 

She giggled again. “Do you want to get out of here and go back to your house?” 

 

He titled his head at her. “You mean like ditch the rest of Saturday detention?” 

 

She trapped her lower lip between her teeth, nodding. 

 

“Okay, yeah, let’s get out of here.” 

 

***

 

Betty fidgeted in the passenger seat of Jughead’s car, she had been nervous since they had pulled out of the Riverdale High parking lot. Not nervous in a bad way of course, in a good way. Her body felt like it was buzzing with all the emotions she was feeling in the present moment for the boy sitting next to her. So much had happened between them in the last two weeks, so much had been said and she wondered if it was possible to fall in love with someone in such a short amount of time. 

 

_ And you, and you, and you.  _

 

She repeated his confession in her head over and over again like a mantra. He wanted her. Not just today and not just tomorrow, or in a week or a month- he was talking forever. Unfortunately, she knew all too well that life wasn’t that simple but she wasn’t going to share that with him. Not right now. 

 

Although how they felt about each other was very simple, their lives definitely were not. He was the perfect boy next door and she was the weirdo outsider from the wrong side of the tracks. She knew that’s all people would see. 

 

Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car and took Jughead’s outstretched hand forever loving the light blush that came to his cheeks when she smirked at him. 

 

She also couldn’t forget the fact that he had been offered a full scholarship to play for Michigan State and if the season kept going the way it was going (which she knew it would), he would definitely be going there. She hadn’t even figured out her life post Riverdale High. It had always been about making it to the end, graduating and staying out of the Serpents which she had done so far. Of course, she knew what she wanted her life to look like but she hadn’t figured out yet how realistic her dreams were. What was she supposed to when he left for college? Wait in Riverdale and pray their relationship could survive the distance? 

 

They walked through the front door of the house, setting their backpacks down. 

 

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, giving her a crooked smile. 

 

“You,” she answered honestly. 

 

He took two steps towards her, eliminating the space between them as he brought his hands up to cup her face. The pad of his thumb skimming across her cheek as his fingertips pressed on the back of her neck, applying such gentle pressure it sent a shiver down her spine. She marveled at how large his hands were, how gentle, how soft. 

 

The kiss was chaste at first, innocent even as their lips simply pressed together. She felt his hand go around to her lower back as he leaned into her while the other hand remained cupping her cheek. She relished the moment with him, letting herself get lost in what she could only describe as _ them _ .

 

He pulled away a second later and her eyes fluttered open. 

 

“You are everything to me, Betty Cooper,” he whispered.

 

She didn’t deserve him, she was Elizabeth Cooper, bad girl, poor, heir to the Southside Serpents. She didn’t deserve the way he looked at her like she hung the stars in the sky when it was more likely that she put the darkness there. He was the light, not her. 

 

Her heart ached at that moment from the realization that he meant absolutely everything to her too. In just a short two weeks, he planted himself inside her, weaving his way through her heart. 

 

Gently, she put her hands on his biceps and began pushing him back towards the couch. He landed on the couch with a single bounce, smirking up at her as she wasted no time to straddle his lap. In the time it took to take a breath her lips were on his again and this time, there was nothing chaste about it.  

 

Cupping his face with his hands she leaned down to kiss him, she ran her tongue across his lower lip before slipping it into his mouth. She could’ve sworn she felt him shiver underneath her and enjoyed every second of the noise he made deep and low in his throat. The made out in a frenzy, their lips, tongues, and hands going all over the place as they ground against each other on the couch. Betty could feel herself burning up and without a second thought, she tore off her flannel shirt tossing it to the side and then grabbed the hem of her lacey black camisole and pulled it over her head. The fabric wasn’t even out of her hands before Jughead reached up for her again pulling her mouth to his. 

 

She felt his hands travel from her face, down her chest, and across her stomach to the button of her jeans and this time she was the one who shivered. 

 

“Is this okay?” he asked as he unbuttoned her jeans and began to pulled the zipper down. 

 

She nodded, moving her head to the side so she could start licking, sucking and biting the side of his neck. She cried out in pleasure as he slid his fingers underneath the waistband of her underwear and across her wet folds. 

 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” he cursed, “you are so wet.” 

 

He continued to rub her back and forth, keeping her swollen nub in between his pointer and middle finger. She felt like she was going to pass out, how was he Mr. ‘I’ve never done anything with anyone’ so good at this? 

 

Turning her attention back to his lips, she ground against his hand, gripping the back of the couch in a feeble attempt to bring them as close as possible as she kissed him. She kissed him like someone starved like he was the hydrating oasis in a deserted abyss. 

 

“Oh my god, Jug-” she keened, feeling a heat spread between her legs that she had never felt before. 

 

His arm wrapped around her lower back as he continued to work her with the other. “That’s my girl, I’ve got you.” 

 

_ My girl, my girl, my girl, I’ve got you, I’ve got you, I’ve got you...  _

 

She felt her lower abdomen contract violently before a flood of pleasure released itself inside of her. Gripping his shoulders tightly, she threw her head back and groaned loudly as her orgasm ripped through her. When it was over she collapsed on him, breathing harshly as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck. 

 

“That was…” There were none to explain the experience she just had with the boy that she cared so deeply about. 

 

“...amazing- I know.” he finished for her. 

 

When she returned to his senses, she got off of him and held her hand. 

 

“Let’s go upstairs,” She watched his Adam's apple bob hard in his throat as he nodded. 

 

Taking her hand, they started to climb the stairs to his bedroom. 

 

***

 

When Betty got off his lap, held out her hand and suggested they go upstairs Jughead knew what they were going to do. Or at least, what  _ he _ wanted to do. 

 

Was he ready? Was she? Or was this just all from the hormone induced haze they were currently in? From the strain in his pants, he assumed it was the latter. 

 

He wondered briefly, as he stared at Betty and her mesmerizing green eyes if Archie or Reggie were this nervous before their first time. 

 

Probably not, but then again he had always been different from them in so many ways. It wasn’t about the fact that he was about to lose his virginity, his 'v card' had always been a social construct to him that he figured he’d eventually give away at some point. No, it was about her, about doing this with her and more importantly, his primal desire to want to make it good for her. 

 

He licked his lips, pulling off his letterman jacket and hanging it over the chair and then in one smooth motion, reaching up and grabbing the collar of his shirt in his fist and yanking it off. 

 

He knew he wasn’t as buff as some of the other guys on the football team but hell if he wasn’t still muscular. He watched as Betty pulled off her jeans, leaving them pooled at her feet before stepping out of them and towards him. Before he could ask what she was doing, she unlatched her bra taking it off and tossing it to the side before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself flush against him. 

 

She licked a stripe up the side of his neck before whispering, “Do you want to do this Juggie?” 

 

He nodded, holding her tightly, “I do… do you?” 

 

She nodded too, before leaning back and dropping her hands before she began to unbuckle his belt. 

 

“I want all of you, Juggie,” she whispered softly, before unzipping his fly and slipping her hand into his boxers. 

 

Squeezing his eyes shut, he could’ve sworn he saw stars as Betty began to stroke him. He pushed her hair to the side, alternating between kissing her neck and pressing his face into her shoulder as she continued to work him. He slid his hands up her side, feeling the trail of goosebumps his fingertips left in their wake as his hand found purchase on her breast. He squeezed experimentally, loving the sound of Betty’s breath hitch in her throat. 

 

“Faster,” he begged. 

 

She did as she was told, twisting her wrist slightly in one direction on the down movement and twisting it back on the way up. He could tell he was close as his muscle began to go rigid and his whole body shook with anticipation. Five jerks later, he bit her collarbone gasping loudly as he came all over her hand. He pulled down his both his pants and his boxers, freeing Betty’s hand when he looked at her. She was biting her bottom lip with a huge triumphant look on her face. 

 

Absolutely. Fucking. Adorable. 

 

“Did you like it?” she asked shyly. 

 

He nodded, kissing her cheek. “That was fantastic, thank you.” 

 

She blushed profusely, turning to walk into the bathroom and wash her hands. He let out a deep breath, running his hand through his hair as he sat on the edge of the bed and opened the drawer of his nightstand for a condom. 

 

When he bought them, he had no intention of having sex anytime soon but Archie and Reggie were buying them too and he didn’t want to look like a virgin loser and not buy them. But he guessed it was a good thing after all. 

 

He heard the sink turn off and turned to look as Betty came back out of the bathroom. 

 

“Hey,” she said, before sitting next to him on the bed. 

 

“Hey,” he said back as he put his arm around her and kissed the side of her forehead. 

 

She snuggled into him and he marveled at the fact at how comfortable they were with each other without their clothes on. 

 

“Condoms, huh? I thought you said you’ve never been interested in other girls.” she teased. 

 

He laughed, “Yeah, well I wanted to be prepared for when I finally was.” 

 

She paused for a moment and he felt her go stiff under his arm. “You okay? We don’t have to do this, you know, it’s okay if you’ve changed your mind.” 

 

“No,” she shook her head. “I want to do this and I want to do it with you.” 

 

His heart ached at her confession, he felt the exact same way. 

 

He shifted, pushing her down gently with one hand as he continued to move until she was lying on his bed and he was hovering over her. 

 

She ran her fingers down his cheeks. “What about you? Do you still want to do this?” 

 

He kissed her soundly and then ran his nose along hers. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.” 

 

He kissed her one more time before grabbing a condom from the drawer and leaning back on his heels. He pumped himself a few times, before pinching the tip of the condom and rolling it down his shaft. Once it was in place he looked back at Betty who had a perplexed look on her face. 

 

“What?” he asked. 

 

“I’m just- are we sure…” she laughed, blushing again. 

 

“Are we sure what?” 

 

“That it’s going to fit?” she squeaked out. 

 

“Yes, or at least it should… I’ll go slow.” He reassured her. 

 

He repositioned himself over her, placing all of his weight on his hands. He dragged his tip along her folds a few times, thoroughly enjoying watching her squirm with pleasure beneath him. He lined himself up and then began to push in slowly, watching her face carefully for any sign of pain or discomfort. 

 

He had heard that the first time can hurt for girls and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Once he was buried to the hilt inside her he paused, gritting his teeth as he felt her slick walls clench around him. 

 

“It’s okay,” she said, “you can move.” 

 

Tentatively he brought his hips back and then slowly pushed back into her. Her face contorted a few times but after about the fourth time of him going in and out, he watched as her eyes began to flutter closed. She brought her legs up, wrapping them around his waist as he began to pick up the pace. 

 

“Oh my god-” she moaned, “Jug, don’t stop that feels so good.” 

 

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep a grip on whatever remaining control he had left. 

 

“Betts-” he grunted, “I’m not going to last,” 

 

“Neither am I, I think I’m-” 

 

She began to moan loudly, her hot slick walls clenching down on him and pulling him impossibly deeper. 

 

“Fuck Betty,” he yelled out, just as his own orgasm began to roll through him. 

 

He collapsed on top of her, trying to still keep some of his weight off of her. They laid like that for what felt like hours, sticky and sweaty with their hearts beating against one another as their chests pressed together. 

 

“Juggie,” Betty whisper breaking the silence. 

 

He leaned up on his elbows so he could see her, “Yeah Betts?” 

 

A single tear ran down her cheek, completely catching him off guard. “I just want you to know that no matter what happens you will forever be the best thing that has ever happened to me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone!!! 
> 
> First and foremost- I'm sorry it took me so long to get this update out to you all. If I could only begin to tell you what the last month of my life has been like- WOOF. I've already started on chapter 6 so hopefully, it won't take me another month to get it out to you all. 
> 
> Second- what did you think of this chapter??? 
> 
> Looking forward to reading your thoughts and comments! 
> 
> P & B, 
> 
> -Peyton


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? An update exactly one week since I posted chapter 5?! *gasp* Seriously, I'm just surprised as you are that I pulled this off. 
> 
> Okay folks, here's the chapter you've all (haven't) been waiting for, the one where we find out what broke our precious little Bughead apart :( This chapter is FULL of angst, so if that isn't your thing I'm sorry! 
> 
> Trigger warning: Mention of miscarriage

_ Betty stepped onto the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor and sighed. Her work week had been long, between running a few construction projects, bring in new investors and meeting deadlines for a few of the websites she’d been writing for- she was exhausted. Her original plan for the weekend was to sleep but when Archie called in a panic over Veronica, of course, the only thing she could do was get in her car and drive to New York.  _

 

_ According to Archie, Veronica and her parents had gotten into a fight and as a result, so did Veronica and her maid of honor.  _

 

_ The elevator reached the top floor with a ding as the elevator doors softly whirred open. Stepping into the foyer, she punched in her personal code unlocking the door and letting herself in.  _

 

_ To say the penthouse Archie and Veronica lived in together was lavish was the understatement of the year. Everything looked expensive to the point where each time she visited, she made a mental note to never invite Veronica over to her trailer.  _

 

_ Depositing her jacket and purse by the entrance, she could already hear Veronica and Archie arguing. She winced, cursing her timing and wishing the ground would swallow her whole. But instead, she walked down the hall and into the main dining area.  _

 

_ “Hey,” Betty said wearily, waving to both of them.  _

 

_ Both Archie and Veronica stopped mid-sentence, turning to look at her.  _

 

_ “Betty! Thank god you’re here.” Archie said, smiling at her.  _

 

_ “Yes, Bettykins thank god you’re here because I was about to kill your best friend here over hydrangeas or peonies,” Veronica said with faux sweetness as she glared at Archie.  _

 

_ “Tell me how I can help,” she offered, catching Archie’s grateful smile out of the corner of her eye.  _

 

_ Taking her hand, Veronica led her over to the dining table where there was a large poster with several circles on it and on each circle, there were several bright colored post-its.  _

 

_ “Can you double check this seating chart for me?” Veronica asked, “It’s for the engagement party next week.”  _

 

_ Betty bit back a laugh, why did an engagement party need a seating chart? However, her smile immediately fell when her eyes fell upon one particular post-it.  _

 

_ Shit. She’d forgotten to tell them. _

 

_ “Actually V, I’m glad I looked at this… don’t kill me but…” her voice trailed off, why was this so difficult? She had nothing to hide and she definitely wasn’t ashamed.  _

 

_ “What’s up?” Archie asked coming to stand next to her.  _

 

_ Reaching down, Betty pinched the corner of the post-it note she was focusing on and pulled it off the poster.  _

 

_ She gave it to Archie. “He’s not coming anymore,”  _

 

_ A look of confusion, realization and then understanding crossed Archie’s face. She knew she would have to provide an explanation as to how her boyfriend of a little over a year was suddenly not her boyfriend anymore but for now, she didn’t want to think about it. _

 

* * *

 

  
  
Betty waved goodbye to Jughead as he reversed out of her driveway and practically skipped up the steps to the door of the trailer and went inside. Once the door was closed, she leaned back against it and sighed happily. She and Jughead had the most amazing weekend and she was already looking forward to seeing him tomorrow at school. They had talked about telling Archie tomorrow after football practice in the Blue & Gold office. Betty knew that once  _ someone _ knew about them their relationship would feel real for both of them. 

 

She knew it was silly, she was his and he was hers but she knew it would solidify things when people at school started to find out.

 

“Elizabeth,” 

 

Betty yelped, practically jumping right out of her skin as her eyes landed on her mother who was standing in the living room. Had she been there the whole time? 

 

“Geez Mom, you scared me half to death!” she said, clutching her chest. “I didn’t expect you to be home.” 

 

“Please tell me that that wasn’t the Jones boy that drove you home, let alone who you have been with all weekend like some ten-cent trollop,” Alice said, her face stone cold and serious. 

 

_ Shit. Shit. Shit. _

 

“So what if it was?” 

 

Even though she knew full well it was never a good idea to have an attitude with her mother, it never stopped her. She did, of course, learn from the very best.

 

“Well whatever is going on between you to, it ends now. I forbid it.” 

 

Betty scoffed, “You forbid it? What is this, the 16th century? You can’t tell me who I can and cannot see.” 

 

“The hell I can!” Alice snapped back, “I will put a Serpent detail on you 24/7, you can say goodbye to your privacy.” 

 

“Mom, that’s ridiculous! Don’t you have bigger fish to fry than giving a damn who your daughter spends her time with?” 

 

“No, not this time. I mean it Elizabeth, you are not allowed to see him anymore.” 

 

“This isn’t fair!” 

 

“LIFE ISN’T FAIR!” Alice screamed back at her. 

 

“This is such bullshit! You haven’t given a shit about me in  _ months _ and you chose now?”

 

“I don’t owe you an explanation, I’m your mother and what I say goes.” 

 

“That’s not a reason Mom and you know it.” 

 

“Elizabeth I-” 

 

“Answer the damn question Mom and don’t lie, why now?”

 

Alice sighed, walking over to the kitchen table and sitting down before rubbing her temples. “You just need to trust me on this one Elizabeth.” 

 

“Not good enough,” 

 

Her mom looked up from the table and met her eyes. Where Betty expected to see a coldness in her eyes she was met with an emotion she had never seen on her mother’s face before. 

 

Regret. 

 

“You might want to sit down,” her mother said, motioning to the chair across from her.

 

“Mom, what’s going on? What are you not telling me?” 

 

Alice gave her a weak smile. “There are some secrets that are so painful, you not only hide them from the world but you hide them from yourself.” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

“Back when I was in high school, I dated Jughead’s father- FP,” Alice said. 

 

Betty was floored. “Wait- you did?” 

 

Alice nodded. “He was everything to me- sexy, wicked smart and the ultimate bad boy. We fell so hard for each other, I didn’t know which way was up and let’s just say things got physical pretty quickly and we weren’t always… careful.” 

 

Betty gasped, “Oh my god Mom, did you- did you get pregnant?” 

 

Alice nodded again, tears streaming down her face like she’d rather put a scalding hot iron on her tongue than utter the word ‘yes’ as her omission.

 

Betty couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Not only did her mother and her boyfriend’s father date in high school, but she also had another half-sibling running around somewhere. 

 

“So, I have a half-sibling out there somewhere?” she asked. 

 

Alice shook her head. “When I found out about the baby- Betty, I was so terrified. My relationship with FP was so new and we were both so young, just about ready to graduate high school and leave for college.” 

 

“So what did you do?” 

 

“I did what I did best at the time, I broke things off with FP and pushed him away. It wasn’t until Fred convinced me that FP deserved to know the truth about the baby that I eventually told him.” 

 

Betty began to feel a weight start to settle in her chest like she wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear but she needed to know. 

 

Feeling her mouth starting to go dry, she swallowed before asking, “How did he react?” 

 

Alice shook her head, more tears falling down her cheeks. “Not well. He accused me of lying, saying that I was just trying to trap him in this run down town and called me a Serpent slut.” 

 

A few moments of silence pass between them, the drippy kitchen faucet and ticking of the clock on the wall being the only sounds in the trailer. Betty didn’t want to ask the next two questions that were at the tip of her tongue. 

 

_ What about the baby? What happened to the baby? _

 

But she didn’t have to ask these questions because her mother beat her to the punch. 

 

“Two weeks later I miscarried,” 

 

Betty didn’t wait for the first sob to escape her mother’s mouth, she dragged her chair closer to her mother’s, the chairs screeched in protest on the floor before she wrapped her mother tightly in her arms. 

 

“Shh, it’s okay,” Betty cooed, “I’ve got you.” 

 

***

 

Mid-Monday morning, Jughead was spending his free period in the Blue & Gold office trying to finish the final draft of an article he was working on before he had to go to gym class. He originally planned to get it done over the weekend but clearly spending time with Betty had derailed that plan completely. He smiled to himself and shook his head, the memory of the way her skin felt under his fingers and her breathy moans in his ear making him break out in goosebumps. 

 

Losing his virginity to Betty was everything he thought it would be and more. Sure, maybe the physical side of his relationship with her was progressing faster than most couples but he didn’t care. His guy friends were always hooking up with girls that they weren’t even dating, at least Betty was his girlfriend. 

 

He smiled again, still getting used to that word- ‘girlfriend’. 

 

He was looking forward to finally telling Archie about the two of them. Would it suppress the urge he had to stand on the roof and scream his confession of love for Betty? Probably not, but it was better than nothing and that was good enough for him. 

 

Suddenly, he heard the office door open and his head shot up to see who it was. 

 

His face immediately softened. “Hey, you,” 

 

“Hi,” she said quietly, closing the door behind her. 

 

He got up from his seat at his laptop and walked over to her, kissing her soundly. 

 

“What are you doing here?” he asked when he pulled away, “Not that I’m not happy to see you. It’s just that you don’t normally come to visit me in the middle of the day.” 

 

“We need to talk,” she said, meeting his eyes. 

 

Anxiety immediately rose in Jughead’s chest as he resisted the urge to dig his fingernails into his flesh. 

 

He cleared his throat. “Sure, what’s up?” 

 

Betty was silent for a moment, her bottom lip caged between her teeth which was a clear indicator that she was nervous about something. 

 

“Betts come on, out with it. What’s going on?” 

 

“My mom saw you drop me off yesterday afternoon, she knows about us,” Betty confessed quietly. 

 

Jughead inhaled sharply, “Oh god, how- how did she take it?” 

 

“Not good… that’s what I have to talk to you about.” 

 

Dread started to pool in the pit of his stomach. “Okay,” 

 

“How much do you know about your dad when he was in high school?” 

 

He gave her a confused expression. “Uh, not much? I know he was on the football team and a mediocre student but that’s about it.” 

 

“Did he grow up on the Northside?” she asked. 

 

Jughead’s brow furrowed together, why was Betty asking him about his dad when they were supposed to be talking about how her mom reacted to their relationship? 

 

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “Yeah I think so, but why are you asking me about all of this?” 

 

“My mom told me last night that she and your dad dated in high school… well, ‘dating’ being the operative word, I think they were secretly hooking up more than they were dating.” 

 

“Holy shit,” he said, exhaling forcefully as he dragged his hand over his face. 

 

“Yeah,” 

 

“So what? She doesn’t like me because she got burned by my dad in high school? That doesn’t make any sense.” 

 

Betty shook her head. “No, she doesn’t like you because she got pregnant and as soon as your dad found out he called her a whore and then abandoned her.” 

 

He froze. There was no way Betty was talking about the man he knew as his father. His father, whose only fault was sacrificing everything to make sure Jughead could have the best life possible. There’s no way he could’ve been that cold and heartless, there just wasn’t. 

 

“Your mom is lying,” 

 

“What?” she asked incredulously, “Why would my mom lie about something like that?”

 

"I don't know? Maybe because she doesn't want us to be together?"

 

"My mom isn't lying about this," she said, her face resolute. 

 

“She has to be because that person you’re describing? Sounds nothing like my dad.”

 

She crossed her arms defiantly. “Oh really? Your dad who got drunk and hit you in the school parking lot after a game?” 

 

He winced like she was physically twisting a knife in his side. “Like your mom, the  _ leader _ of the Southside Serpents is any better of a candidate for being a parent? I mean, let’s be real - if my dad and your mom were hooking up and not in a relationship, who’s to say that she wasn’t sleeping around with other guys?” 

 

“So now you’re calling my mom a whore? That’s rich, I guess my mom was right- like father like son.” 

 

He gritted his teeth, she knew exactly how to get under his skin and what buttons to push. 

 

“Oh yeah, and what about you?” he shot back. 

 

“What about me?” 

 

“You walk around this school like you’re some kind of badass when really you're just a pathetic poor Southsider with a bucket full of daddy issues to boot,”

 

Her jaw dropped open and he knew their argument was getting out of hand but before he could apologize she said, “Well if that’s how you really feel then why are you with me?” 

 

“What? You know why we’re together, I-” 

 

“But has it ever occurred to you how different we are?” she asked cutting him off, “Like on a cellular DNA kind of level?” 

 

_ No, no, no. _ “Betty please,” 

 

“You’re a straight-A student, you’re captain of the football team for God’s sakes. You’re the perfect boy next door.” 

 

His shoulders slumped. “I hate that word,” 

 

“I’m the damaged loner outsider from the wrong side of the tracks,”

 

“Betty, no- that’s not-” He tried to stop her, stop this argument they had practically started over nothing. Over mistakes that weren’t theirs to pay for. 

 

“-Jug come on, who are we kidding? My mom is right, we’re on borrowed time.” 

 

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” 

 

“Jughead, I am not one of your charity cases to take pity on, okay? Like running a bake sale, or collecting blankets for the local animal shelter.” 

 

“No, you’re not a charity case. You’re my girlfriend, I-” 

 

“Until when hm? Until you’re sick of slumming it with me, or until you find someone your parents would rather see you with? Someone prettier, with less baggage and a whole lot higher social status?” 

 

The weight of their words hung between them and as much as he wanted to, Jughead knew there was no taking them back. Maybe Betty was right, maybe they were on borrowed time. When he first started liking her the biggest thing he feared was that their love would end up like some Shakespearean tragedy or that his love for her would cause a rift between him and his parents or his friends. He never thought he’d have to fear the fact that what they had would be over before it even had a chance to flourish into anything at all.

 

He swallowed hard, willing the tears stinging the backs of his eyes not to fall. He walked back to his desk, slamming his laptop shut and throwing it in his backpack with the rest of his papers. 

 

“Well if that’s how  _ you _ really feel,” he said bitterly, swinging the backpack over his shoulders, “I guess that’s that then.” 

 

***

 

Betty watched as Jughead exited the Blue & Gold office, not even bothering to close the door behind him. As soon as he disappeared out of the door frame she immediately regretted everything. 

 

“Dammit,” she cursed, grabbing her bag and going after him. 

 

On her way out of the door, she caught sight of Jughead down the hall right before she slammed right into Cheryl Blossom knocking her right into a group of her minions. 

 

“Watch it slut,” she barked, once she was back on her feet. 

 

She really didn’t have time to have it out with Cheryl, she needed to hurry and catch up to Jughead so she could apologize. 

 

“Sorry Cheryl,” Betty said as sincerely as possible before attempting to go around her. 

 

“Not so fast you hobo,” Cheryl said, stepping in front of her. “What exactly were you doing in the Blue and Gold office anyway?” 

 

“Cheryl, I really don’t have time for this. Get out of my way.” 

 

Cheryl smiled, her violent red lips stretching thin showing off her abnormally white teeth. “Or what?” 

 

Betty glared at her. “Do you really want to find out?” 

 

“Oh Betty, it’s cute that you think I’m afraid of you or anyone for that matter,” Cheryl said laughing. 

 

“Cheryl, I swear to god, get the fuck out of my way or I will kick your ass,” 

 

Cheryl chuckled, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Tell me Betty were you born with that mouth? Or is it something Southside mothers teach their bastard babies?” 

 

There was a collective gasp from the students that had now started to gather around them. 

Betty dropped her backpack to the floor, pausing before she took one step closer towards Cheryl keeping her face neutral. Cheryl stepped back a little, but not by much as Betty wound her hand back and slapped Cheryl as hard as she could right across the face. 

 

There was another gasp across the crowd. 

 

To Betty’s surprise, Cheryl recovered quickly turning back to face her, a look of complete hatred etched across her features. 

 

“You trashy bitch!” Cheryl screamed as she threw her books to the ground and slapped Betty back. 

 

She smiled, she finally had the perfect reason to kick Cheryl Blossom’s pampered ass. Grabbing onto Cheryl’s shoulders, the two girls began to scuffle, getting ahold of each other’s hair and pulling. Betty had to admit, Cheryl was scrappy but she had this fight in the bag. After all, you couldn’t grow up with a ‘trailer trash’ reputation without being able to beat up every single person who gave it to you. 

 

Tightening her grip on Cheryl’s hair, Betty pulled her, swinging their bodies until they knocked into the lockers and tumbled to the floor. Betty immediately got the upper hand, straddling Cheryl’s lap.

 

“I’m going to make you wish you had just let me pass you bitch,” Betty grit out before hitting Cheryl again. 

 

“THAT’S ENOUGH! Clear the hallway!” Principal Weatherbee yelled as he approached. 

 

Betty jumped up and got away from Cheryl as the students began to flee in all directions. There was no point in trying to run since she was sure half the student population probably videotaped the whole thing on their phones. She reached down, helping Cheryl up so she didn’t get trampled while the remaining students scrambled to get out of the way. 

 

“Ms. Cooper, my office. Now.” Principal Weatherbee demanded. 

 

***

 

Jughead pushed through the boy's locker room door and went straight to his gym locker. He sighed heavily, wondering if he was going to make it through the rest of the day and wishing desperately that the school day was already over. Maybe he could go to the nurse and fake a stomach ache and go home early. 

 

“Hey man, everything okay?” Archie asked, opening his own locker which was right next to Jughead’s. 

 

Jughead nodded, “Just a long day.” 

 

Archie gave him a concerned look but before he could say more, Reggie walked past them. 

 

“You two pussies ready to get your asses beat in basketball?” 

 

Jughead cringed, he really hated Reggie’s vulgar locker room talk.

 

“Just ignore him,” Archie said quietly so only Jughead could hear. 

 

***

 

Unfortunately, Jughead couldn’t ignore Reggie because apparently, Reggie had woken up on the dick side of the bed that morning. He was sure that Reggie had made it his personal mission to not only pick on him the entire class period but to also show everyone just how shit he was at basketball. 

 

When Coach Clayton finally blew his whistle signaling that the class period was almost over, he had hoped that Reggie would leave his berating on the court. Heading into the locker room, he decided that he had had enough and texted his mom to see if he could leave school early.

 

After he got dressed, he waited for Archie to finish getting changed and went through his backpack to see what he needed for his next class. Since he had math next, he opened the front pocket of his bag to make sure he had his calculator and pencil but instead he found a folded piece of paper he hadn’t noticed before. 

 

He opened it wearily, biting his lower lip as he immediately recognized Betty’s handwriting. But before he could read it, Reggie snatched the note right out of his hand. 

 

“What’s this Jones?” he asked. 

 

“Give it back Reggie,” he growled. 

 

“Oh my god, is this a love letter?” 

 

“Why? Are you jealous?” Jughead quipped back. 

 

“Of you? Jughead ‘prude virgin’ Jones? Not a chance.” 

 

“Just shut the hell up Reggie,” Archie said, stepping in between. 

 

Reggie laughed softly before his face turned serious. “What do you care Andrews?” 

 

“Nothing, just leave him alone.” 

 

“Holy crap,” Reggie gasped, a smirk coming to his lips, “is this note from you?” 

 

Something inside Jughead finally snapped. “It’s from Betty Cooper you Neanderthal and I’m fucking her so you’re little ‘prude virgin’ jokes don’t apply to me anymore.” He snatched the note back. “So just shut the fuck up about it already and leave me the hell alone.” 

 

There was a stunned silence that went across the locker room. 

 

“Wow Jones, I never pegged you to go after Southside sluts, maybe you do have a wild side,” Reggie said, congratulating him and patting him on the back. 

 

“What?” he asked confused, “No she’s not a slut, actually, we-” 

 

He turned to look for Archie because one: this wasn’t the way he wanted him to find out about him and Betty and two: Archie was the only one he cared about giving an explanation to but he was already rushing out of the locker room. 

 

“Archie, wait!” he called after him. 

 

***

 

Betty walked out of Principal Weatherbee’s office, finding Toni, Fangs and Sweet Pea waiting for her as she stuffed her suspension letter into her backpack. 

 

“Finally! Are you okay?” Toni asked, going to her. 

 

“We saw the fight,” Sweet Pea said, “you got that Blossom bitch good,” 

 

“Yeah, I doubt she’ll mess with you again after that.” Fangs chimed in. 

 

Her head was spinning. “Thanks, guys, I’m fine. I think I’m just going to head home.” 

 

Before any of them could respond, she saw a flash of red out of the corner of her eye and turned to find Archie heading straight for her. They never really talked in school before but she assumed he had heard about the fight as well. 

 

“Hey, Arch,” 

 

“Is it true?” he asked

 

At first, she thought he was asking about the fight with Cheryl but then she saw Jughead and a few members of the football team come around the corner and she immediately knew it was about something else. 

 

He didn’t give her a chance to respond. “Are you having sex with Jughead?” 

 

“What?” Toni hissed, stepping closer. 

 

Betty looked as Jughead walked up next to them, her eyes wide and watery. “You told them?” 

 

“Betty, I-” 

 

“Betty Cooper,” Chuck Clayton whistled at her. “Who knew you were down with Northsiders. Your sister Polly was always down to take a ride on the Chuckwagon but now that she’s graduated it sounds like you can take her place.” 

 

“Should we start a sign-up?” Reggie joked, “We can write ‘Serpent Slut’ at the top.” 

 

Suddenly, Sweet Pea lunged for the two of them, wrapping his giant hands around the two boy’s throats before effortlessly slamming them into a locker. “Don’t you dare fucking talk to her like that.” 

 

“Pea!” Betty and Toni yelled at the same time. 

 

Betty’s eyes landed back on Jughead, imploring him to do  _ something,  _ anything to make this whole thing stop. 

 

_ Just tell them, _ she screamed in her head,  _ tell them I’m not a slut, tell them I’m your girlfriend.  _

 

But when it was clear that he wasn’t going to say anything and the weight of the monumental disappointment that her first love was just like everyone else started to settle in her chest, she began to cry. 

 

“Archie, can you take me home?” 

 

She didn’t wait for his answer, knowing that even though Archie was probably pissed at her for keeping such a huge secret from him that the loyalty and trust of their friendship would always come first. 

 

***

 

Archie pulled over on the side of the road just before the entrance to Sunnyside Trailer Park. 

 

She stared at her hands, willing the tears to stop falling. “Archie, I am so sorry, we were going to tell you I swear it’s just-” 

 

“Betty it’s okay, I get it,” he said, quietly. “I’m just glad I don’t have to kill Jughead now. I mean, I’m still thinking about it but I’m not as mad as before.” 

 

She met his gaze. “Wait- what do you mean ‘kill Jughead’?” 

 

“Betty you’re like a sister to me, scratch that, you are my sister. We’ve known each other since our moms touched bellies and we kicked each other.”

 

She chuckled at that, warming at the memory of Archie’s dad telling them that story when they were little kids. 

 

“No one, not even Jughead who is also my best friend is allowed to talk about you like that.” 

 

She shook her head. “Don’t be mad at Jughead Archie, this is my fault, not his. He wanted to tell you sooner but I was scared.” 

 

“Scared of what?” 

 

“I don’t know, everything? Of what happened at school today? Of falling in love with him?” 

 

Archie's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “You’re in love with him?” 

 

She nodded, her tears starting anew. “I think so, yeah. I’ve never been in love before so I don’t really know.” 

 

“Wow,” 

 

A few minutes of silence passed, as the two of them starred out at the road ahead of them. Betty’s heart was breaking as she silently wished that she could somehow start the day over and walk back the disaster that currently was her life. She replayed their argument in the Blue and Gold office that morning. God, why did she let her mother get between them? And why didn’t she go after him right away? If she had, then she wouldn’t have gotten into that fight with Cheryl Blossom and she wouldn’t be here feeling heartbroken and more alone than she had in her entire life. 

 

She shook her head solemnly, marveling at the fact at how someone’s life could change in an instant. 

 

“What is that?” Archie asked, turning around to look out the back of his truck. 

 

The sound of police sirens broke through the quiet. “I’m not sure,” 

 

The two of them watched as three Riverdale police cars sped past them and into the Sunnyside Trailer Park. 

 

Archie and Betty looked at each other, fear settling in the pit of her stomach. “Go!” 

 

Archie hit the gas, whipping the truck off the side of the road and into the trailer park, following the flashing lights in the distance, but Betty already knew where they were heading. When they reached her trailer, Sheriff Keller was already putting her mother’s hands behind her back and slapping cuffs around her wrists. 

 

Betty lept from the car. “Mom?! Mom, what’s going on?” 

 

“Alice Smith, you’re under the arrest for the murder of Penny Peabody.” Sheriff Keller said as he led her to his police cruiser. “You have the right to remain silent. You are not required to say anything to us at any time or to answer any questions. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!!! 
> 
> Are you still with me? Hopefully, you don't hate me too much for all the angst! Chapter 7 will bring us to the "flash forward" scene from Chapter 1 where Betty and Jughead see each other again for the first time since all the crap went down in this chapter so stay tuned! 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to reading your thoughts and comments :) <3 
> 
> P & B,
> 
> -Peyton


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to all the readers that were so incredibly patient over the last three and a half months as I wrote and rewrote this chapter. It is dedicated to every single person anon or otherwise, that reached out to me with nothing but encouragement and kindness as I slowly pieced together this chapter. It is dedicated to the people who reached out to me when my confidence was shattered and lifted me up at a time I felt so down. 
> 
> This chapter is for you <3

Jughead considered himself an intelligent person, he graduated summa cum laude from Michigan State and his IQ was above average. He was always, always quick with words, whether it was banter in the locker room or a 5,000 word paper that he had put off until the last minute. Both of these things had made him stand out among his peers, it was something he prided himself on over the years.... and yet… 

 

_ And yet _ there he stood, wordless, probably looking like an idiot because his old high school flame told him he looked good. 

 

Before he could even think of a response, Veronica walked up to them placing her hand under Betty’s elbow. 

 

“Jughead,” she said, nodding in his direction, “Bettykins can I get your help with something?” 

 

“Sure,” she answered, looking at Jughead one more time before letting Veronica lead her off to the opposite end of the room. 

 

Jughead frowned, trying not to think that Veronica had done that on purpose and actually needed Betty’s help for something. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. They had plenty of forced wedding shenanigans ahead of them and therefore, he had plenty of time to get six years worth of apologies off his chest. 

 

Grabbing his place card off of a small table by the entrance of the room, he headed over the to the open bar to get something to drink before going to his seat. 

 

***

_ When Monday morning finally came, Jughead was absolutely miserable. It had been three days since he last saw or spoke to Betty. He couldn’t believe how he had treated her all because of some stupid argument they had had. No. He corrected himself. It wasn’t just that and he knew it. All he had done since he and Betty had gotten together was push her to be out in the open about their relationship and when the time finally came he chickened out.  _

 

_ He was coward, no better than the scum on the bottom of his shoes. He had behaved like a complete asshole and he had no idea how he was going to make it up to her.  _

 

_ As more and more students entered the school building, he searched face after face after face for the only girl in the world that he wanted to see. Even though he could guarantee that she wouldn’t want to see him. By the time the homeroom bell rang, he hadn’t seen her. Trying not to feel too defeated, he went to homeroom gripping on to the hope that he would at least catch a glimpse of her before the end of the day.  _

 

_ *** _

 

Veronica didn’t let go of her elbow until they were well into the private ensuite located off the hallway that led to the kitchen. 

 

“Veronica, what are you-” 

 

“You don’t fool me for one minute Betty Cooper, I saw those heart eyes that you were making at that man.” 

 

She shook her head as if to clear it. “Heart eyes? What are you talking about? Is that even a thing?” 

 

Veronica crossed her arms. “Don’t play coy with me, little miss. Archie might be all for ignoring the signs through all of this but I’m not buying it.” 

 

“Buying what?” 

 

“Seriously? Breaking up with Sweet Pea the moment you found out that Archie was going to ask Jughead to be his best man? Putting Jughead’s name at the same table as you? You’re clearly still into him!” 

 

Betty stared at Veronica for a long hard moment. She had known what she was doing when she broke up with Sweet Pea a month ago and she’d definitely known what she had been doing when she sat Jughead’s name at the same table as her when they were working on the seating chart but she hadn’t admitted any of those things to herself. It was like even though she was fully aware of her actions, their consequences weren’t registering in her brain- it was like she was lying by omission but to herself. 

 

“Oh god I’m so stupid,” she said in rush, her hands flying up to cover her face. 

 

Veronica’s face fell and she immediately pulled her in for a hug. “It’s okay B, they say you never truly get over your first love and love definitely makes people do stupid things.”

 

She took in a deep shaky breath, the emotions of their brief two week relationship and it’s inevitable crash and burn washing over her all over again. 

 

“It’s been six years V,  _ six _ , I should be over him, I should be well over him but I don’t know… Archie mentioned he was going to ask Jughead to be his best man and just like that-” she snapped her fingers- “I was that silly teenage girl again who fell too hard and too fast for a boy she barely knew.” 

 

“Did he ever apologize for all that shit that went down between you two?” she asked. 

 

Betty hesitated, her mouth opening before she closed it again. 

 

Veronica raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Betty, what aren’t you telling me?” 

 

Just then there was knock on the bathroom door and Archie’s fire red hair appeared. “Ronnie they’re about to start serving dinner.” 

 

Veronica nodded before turning back to Betty. “This conversation isn’t over.” 

 

***

 

_ Unfortunately, he wasn’t so lucky and he hadn’t seen Betty all day. Was she avoiding him? Or was she just absent?  _

 

_ He cornered Archie in the locker room to ask as much.  _

 

_ “She’s absent, but no offense Jug, you really think after what went down last week that she would even want to talk to you?”  _

 

_ He swallowed, hard. “I guess you’re right.”  _

 

_ “In fact, Jug, I want you to stay away from Betty,” Archie said firmly.  _

 

_ “What?” he asked, exasperated, “You can’t just demand that Archie, you’re not the boss of her.”  _

 

_ “That may be true, but she is the closest thing I have to a sister and you’re honestly lucky I haven’t punched your lights out after what you did. Besides, you think if anyone on the team, especially Reggie and Chuck see you talking to her that they’re just going to let that go? She’s been through enough.”  _

 

_ Jughead sighed. Archie was right.  _

 

_ God, why did he act like such a fucking idiot? Letting Reggie get under his skin and trading his most cherished secret for some kind of stupid social status. He felt like his life wasn’t real like he was stuck in some stereotypical high school movie.  _

 

_ “What do I do? How do I fix it?” He asked weakly.  _

 

_ “I honestly don’t know,” Archie sighed. “Some things… some things you just can’t take back.”  _

 

_ *** _

 

Luckily for Jughead, the evening went by pretty quickly despite the fact that Betty was seated directly across the table from him and avoided his gaze all night long. He tried not to be discouraged by this, rerunning how she greeted him earlier that evening on loop in his mind. There were a dozen ways she could’ve said hello to him, hell, she didn’t have any obligation to cross the room and greet him at all. He hoped the fact that she did was a good sign. 

 

He was hoping to try and talk to her again later that evening when the bridal party met up at a karaoke bar around the corner. 

 

He shook his head, chuckling to himself under his breath at how obsessed he’d become with talking to her over the last few weeks. There was so much he wanted to say, so much they had to talk about, like why she had flown all the way to Michigan after his accident but didn’t bother to stay?

 

A few minutes later he was standing by the entrance of the restaurant waiting for Archie when Fred approached him to say goodbye. 

 

“It was so good to see you, son,” Fred said as he pulled him in for a tight hug. 

 

“Yeah,” he said, as he tightened his hold on the older man, “it’s been way too long.” 

 

“Your father misses you, you know,” he said quietly. 

 

Jughead’s lips pressed into a thin line, he and his father hadn’t spoken since the night of his accident. His parents had just wrapped up their divorce and his father had called drunk screaming at him about what a shitty player he’d become and he’d be lucky if he was picked at all the following day during the draft. It was the whole reason he had gone to the gym that night instead of just staying home and getting some rest. Even as an adult, his father’s belligerent words still had the power to creep under his skin. 

 

He didn’t blame his father for what happened to him, but he hadn’t exactly forgiven him either. 

 

“Yeah, well, communication is a two-way street.”  

 

Just then, Betty came into his view and he felt as if time had stopped for the briefest of moments. Fred turned then to see what had caught Jughead’s attention and gave him a knowing smile. 

 

“Hey, Jug,” Archie said, walking up to meet him, “you ready to go?” 

 

Jughead nodded, taking his eyes off Betty he pulled Fred in for one more hug before exiting the restaurant and walking out on to the busy city sidewalk. 

 

***

_ Archie had been right about Reggie and Chuck because as soon as Betty stepped foot into school on Wednesday they went for her. Calling her a Southside Slut and trying to sign up for a time slot for her to meet them behind the bleachers for a blowjob. Luckily, she had Toni and Sweet Pea beside her and the three of them could handle Chuck and Reggie. Still, it made his blood boil and he quickly took his phone out of his pocket, texting the whole football team to meet him in the locker room after school for a meeting.  _

 

_ He wasn’t sure that the football team would listen to his text and come to the locker room for a meeting on the only free afternoon they’ve had in months but he hoped that his status as team captain would have as much authority as he thought it did.  _

 

_ His teammates started entering the locker room and within five minutes, the whole team was there. Archie was one of the last people to arrive, giving him a quizzical look before leaning against a locker in the back of the room.  _

 

_ “What’s this about Jones?” Moose asked, “I kind of would like to enjoy my afternoon off.”  _

 

_ The team hummed in agreement.  _

 

_ He took a deep breath, centering himself before he hopped up on the nearest bench so that way everyone could see and hear him.  _

 

_ “Now hear me out, what I’m about to say is because of some stuff that went down last week,” he looked right at Reggie and Chuck. “I feel like a fraud and nowhere near the man that I thought I was and certainly not enough of a leader to lead this team to victory next week.” He looked at Archie next, who was on his phone. Damn, no support there. “The truth is, I’m in love with Betty Cooper and last week, I didn’t do right by her. Spreading our business all over school and not only did I treat her like dirt, but I let other people treat her the same way as well. And even though our relationship is beyond repair, I’m still not going to let anyone on this team treat her or any other girl like that as long as I am captain of this team. Girls are not sluts because they like a guy, especially not girls from the Southside.”  _

 

_ “It’s not just the Southside sluts that are trash,” Chuck said, cutting him off, “all those losers from the Southside are trash.”  _

 

_ “Did you know both of my parents grew up on the Southside? So by blood, I myself am a Southsider.” Shocked expressions and murmurs went across the locker room.  _

 

_ Reggie rolled his eyes. “Jones, why do you care about this so much? We get it. You’re in love with a Southsider, we’ll leave her alone, let’s just leave it at that.”  _

 

_ “I care because at the end of the day we’re all just kids, sizing each other up based on something as fucking stupid as what side of the town we live on. No one in this school got to choose their parents, no one in this school got to choose which side of town they grew up on. And yet, we still treat each other like crap and since we’re the leaders of this school, I’m asking all of you to think about the bigger picture and set the example.”  _

 

_ “So, what? You expect us to hold hands in the cafeteria and sing kumbaya?” Moose said, interjecting.  _

 

_ Jughead pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m asking that even if we all don’t like each other, that we at least respect each other and throwing slurs around like ‘Southside slut’ or ‘Southside trash’ isn’t showing respect and I won’t tolerate that on my team.”  _

 

_ “You can’t mandate that as a rule,” Reggie challenged.  _

 

_ “Yes, he can.” Everyone looked past Jughead to Coach Clayton who was standing behind him. “Jones is the team captain and I couldn’t agree more that the behavior of this team has gone way beyond locker room talk and I won’t stand for it. Abide by Jones’s new rules or get benched.” _

 

_ “So, you’re just what? Going to bench the whole team?” Chuck asked his father, incredulous.  _

 

_ “If it comes to that, yes.”  _

 

_ “But we’ll lose the finals!” Reggie yelled.  _

 

_ “Good. It’ll be a good lesson for all of you then. Your integrity is more important than any medal or award and if some of you need to learn that the hard way, then so be it.” Coach Clayton said, motioning to Chuck to follow him before exiting the locker room.  _

 

_ Jughead exhaled the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He didn’t discuss any of this with Coach Clayton and he was kind of surprised that he had backed him up like that. He stepped down, sitting on the bench and holding his head in his hands. One down, one to go. His teammates slowly made their way out of the locker room as Archie approached him.  _

 

_ “What made you decide to do all of this?” he asked.  _

 

_ “Honestly?” Archie nodded. “You did. You were right that people weren’t going to let up on Betty after what I did and I just couldn’t stomach that…”  _

 

_ “Well, it’s definitely not going to fix anything between the two of you but at least it’s a start.”  _

 

_ “Yeah, now I just have to get Betty to listen to me long enough so that I can apologize. Was she even in school today?”  _

 

_ Archie shook his head. “No, no she wasn’t.”  _

 

_ Jughead stood, grabbing his backpack off the floor before exiting the locker room. He exited the building and crossed the parking lot to his car, starting it up and driving off towards the Sunnyside Trailer Park.  _

 

***

 

The walk over to the karaoke bar in his black chinos and nice black dress shoes was freezing. Stuffing his hands further into his pockets, he borrowed his nose further into his scarf hoping to stave off the wind chill until they got to their destination. 

 

The girls in the group were ahead of them and although Archie was walking a little bit slower than he would’ve liked, he kept pace with him. He looked at his redheaded best friend absent mindedly, catching the look on his face like he was deep in thought. 

 

“Everything okay man?” Jughead asked. 

 

“Yeah…” he paused, stopping in his tracks on the sidewalk. “You know what no, everything is not okay.” 

 

***

_ “Betty please open the door, I know you’re in there!” Jughead pleaded before pounding on the door again.  _

 

_ The door swung open. “Jesus, Jughead what? What? What is so important that you need to bang my door down in the middle of the night?”  _

 

_ He took a few deep breaths, trying to quell his rising anxiety. He hadn’t really expected her to answer and therefore, his mind was drawing a blank on what his next words would be.  _

 

_ Her eyebrows furrowed concerned as she watched him. “Are you alright?”  _

 

_ He nodded. “Can I come in?”  _

 

_ She hesitated, biting her bottom lip. “I don’t think that’s a good idea Jughead,”  _

 

_ “Please Betty,”  _

 

_ He knew he was pathetic, standing on her doorstep begging for a second chance even though he didn’t deserve one. But he loved the girl standing in front of him and therefore he had to try.  _

 

_ “Okay,” She held the door open wider so that he could step inside the trailer.  _

 

***

“What is it?” He swallowed as dread and anxiety swirled in his gut. 

 

“You remember that meeting you had with the football team back in high school?” Jughead nodded. “Well, I recorded you that day, your whole speech and I sent it to Betty.” 

 

“What?” Jughead asked incredulously. “Why would you do that?” 

 

“I thought if Betty saw what you had done for her, then maybe she’d forgive you and give you another chance.” 

 

Jughead furrowed his brow, if that was Archie’s intention then why did Betty still end things between them? “So what happened? How did she react?” 

 

“She said it didn’t matter,” Archie said, frowning, “that her life was in a tailspin with her mom in prison and that she wasn’t going to drag you down with her.” 

 

Jughead shook his head, his mind beginning to spin. “What? That doesn’t make any sense, I loved her, she knew that I loved her, I would’ve done anything-” 

 

***

_ Jughead walked into the living room of the trailer, taking in the faded yellow paper and shabby couch before turning back around to face her. Meeting her green eyes, his breath still caught in his throat at how beautiful she was. She stared back at him and just for a moment it felt like time stood still.  _

 

_ Oh god did he wish that just for a second, just for a minute that he could go back and change the past. That he hadn’t screwed up the best thing in his life and that this was all just some really bad dream that would leave an ache in his chest that would slowly fade into relief upon waking. He wished that they could go somewhere, anywhere where their parentage didn’t matter, a place where they’d have forever to get lost in one another.  _

  
  


_ “Stop looking at me like that,” Her voice came out rushed, like a plea.  _

 

_ “Like what?”  _

 

_ “L-like, like-” Tears were streaming down her face.  _

 

_ “Like I love you?” He said, his voice cracking, “like you’re all I’ve ever wanted?”  _

 

_ “Yes,” she whispered.  _

 

_ He took one step towards her. “I can’t Betts, I don’t know how,”  _

 

_ She shook her head furiously. “Well figure it out! You lost your chance to love me when you stood in the hallway and said nothing when your friends called me a slut.”  _

 

_ Another step. “Betts, I am so sorry. What I did? It was horrible and I am going to live with that shame and regret for the rest of my life. I should’ve been braver, I should’ve had more courage, I should’ve-”  _

 

_ “-but you didn’t Jug. You didn’t do those things.”  _

 

_ “I know,” he said weakly.  _

 

_ She whipped her nose with the back of the sleeve of her flannel shirt before walking over to the door and opening it again. “I think you should go,”  _

 

_ He stared at her for a moment before nodding, wishing again that there was some alternate universe where they could rewrite the past. Pulling on his jacket, he made his way down the trailer steps, taking one last look behind him before getting in his car and driving home.  _

 

***

 

“Jug-” Archie cut him off. “There’s still so much you don’t know about the time following Alice’s arrest. You had a full football scholarship… Betty knew the right thing to do was to let you go.” 

 

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All this time he thought that Betty ended things between them because of how he had treated her… because she didn’t love him anymore… not because she thought he was the one who deserved better.  He swallowed the bile rising in his throat, the knowledge making his stomach turn with a mixture of guilt and deep emotions.

 

“Why are you telling me all of this Arch? Why now? Why tonight?” 

 

“Because I know she’s still in love with you.” 

 

Damn Archibald Andrews for dropping so many freaking bombs on his life in one evening. 

 

Jughead shook his head, incredulous. “How can that be true? Betty has a boyfriend, she has a life- all of which has nothing to do with me.” 

 

Archie put his hands in his pockets and sighed, looking at the ground and shaking his head before looking up at him again with his own incredulous expression. 

 

Jughead groaned. “Tell me,” 

 

“Betty broke up with her boyfriend the night I told her I was going to ask you to be my best man.” 

 

***

 

_ Betty was miserable. Her mother was convicted of murder and Betty was getting pressure from people on the Southside to join the Serpents. She could feel herself spiraling into the deep dark abyss. Which is why she found herself adjusting the ladder at Jughead’s window, climbing up the rungs and quietly tapping on his window. She prayed desperately in those few moments it took him to answer that he’d let her come inside even though she kicked him out of her trailer last night.  _

 

 

_ She felt numb and he was the only person in the last few weeks that made her feel anything at all. That’s why she couldn’t help the stutter of her heart when Jughead pulled back the curtain, surprise turning into hope and adoration all over his features.  _

 

_ She knew it was wrong to be here. The universe had spoken, they couldn’t be together but she just wanted to love him one last time.  _

 

_ “Betty,” he breathed, “what are you doing here? It’s the middle of the night.”  _

 

_ “I wanted to see you,” she answered honestly as she climbed through the window and into his bedroom.  _

 

_ “Oh- I thought after last night that you wouldn’t want to speak to me again.”  _

 

_ “I thought that too,” she murmured quietly.  _

 

_ Betty stood there an arm's length away from the man she loved and took in his features. He was wearing a grey cotton t-shirt and his boxers, his hair was messy from sleep and he had deep purple bags underneath his eyes. She closed the distance between them, gently cupping his face and sweeping the pads of her thumbs across his cheekbones. Her heart ached at how he immediately leaned into her embrace. God had she missed him.  _

 

_ “You look tired,” she said  _

 

_ “So do you,”  _

 

_ Slowly, she pushed up on to her tiptoes and pressed her lips softly against his relishing in the familiar shock that went through her body from the skin to skin contact. She meant the kiss to be short and sweet but she couldn’t help herself when Jughead laced his dextrose fingers through her curls and deepened it. Feeling his tongue slide along her lower lip, she granted him access opening her mouth and moaning softly.  When he finally released her she could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest but was immediately crestfallen when she saw the tears streaking down his face.  _

 

_ *** _

“I can’t listen to anymore Arch,” Jughead said wearily, “we should go catch up with the others.” 

 

Archie frowned. “Jug, I’m sorry, I just thought you would want to know.” 

 

Of course, he wanted to know. How could he not? He had thought and thought and thought about seeing her for every minute of every day in the weeks leading up to tonight. How she would look, if she would smile at him after all this time, if they could put the past in the past and be...friends?...acquaintances?... 

 

_ Anything, _ he thought. Anything more than just a ghost in each other's pasts. 

 

He sighed. “It’s not that I didn’t want to know Archie, it’s just a lot to take in all at once,” Archie didn’t look convinced. “C’mon let’s catch up with the others before Veronica starts to worry.”

 

*** 

 

_ “I miss you,” he whispered against her skin, “God Betts I miss you so much. And I am so so sorry,”  _

 

_ “Shh,” she cooed, wrapping her arms more tightly around him, “I know,”  _

 

_ “Will you stay with me?” he pleaded softly, “We don’t have to do anything, I just want to hold you.”  _

 

_ Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. She never slept more peacefully than when she was in his arms and she knew she could use a good night’s sleep. In her heart, it was all that she wanted, to feel safe with him but her mind told her that she would be deceiving him if she stayed. She would be giving him false hope and even though he had hurt her, she didn’t want to do the same to him.  _

 

_ But she was tired and ultimately she let her heart win the argument. She nodded in agreement, shrugging off her leather jacket, unlacing her boots and then crawled into bed with him.  _

 

_ She was asleep within seconds.  _

 

_ In the morning when she woke, the sun had barely made its way into the sky. Gently, she untangled herself and sat up watching Jughead as he slept peacefully. Running her fingers softly through his unruly waves, she realized that she was no longer mad at him. Forgive but not forget, she thought. Not to mention, she was angry about so much in her life right now and adding her anger towards him in the mix was just exhausting.  _

 

_ If she were being completely honest with herself, she would admit that in the short time she had known him that she had unequivocally fallen in love with Jughead Jones. He filled up the dark places in her soul with so much light and happiness it was if she was floating when she was with him. All she wanted to do was just be with him. She knew he had messed up, she knew he didn’t deserve a second chance but it‘s all she wanted to do no matter what people thought of her for taking him back.  _

 

_ But as she had thought many times before, she and Jughead were not star crossed lovers and her life was not a Shakespearean romance. In a few minutes, night would bleed into day and the sun would rise and things would go back to the way they were. She would be a Southsider with no future, joining a gang as a means to survive and her mother would be in jail. Tears started to fall down her face, she loved the boy lying next to her too much to drag him down with the tons of baggage that was her life.  _

 

_ She sighed softly, getting up off the bed and walking over to Jughead’s desk in search of a piece of paper.  _

 

_ Dear Jughead,  _

 

_ When I met you two weeks ago, I had this strong intuition that you and I were doomed from the start. Every day that we were together I prayed that I was wrong, that we wouldn’t repeat our parent's mistakes and that we could beat the odds. I want you to know that I gave you all of me, without regret and no matter where our lives lead us you will forever have a piece of me. In the short amount of time we were together, you showed me that love was everything that I thought it could be and for that, I am extremely grateful. I  _ ~~want ~~ _ have to believe that if you and I met in the future, outside of Riverdale, away from our parents and this town’s expectations that you and I would have a love that would rewrite the stars and supersede destiny.  _

 

_ I know that this will be hard to understand but if care about me as much as you say you do please- _

 

_ Let me go.  _

 

_ ~Betty  _

 

***

 

As he entered the bar with Archie, the morning he woke up with his arms empty and a letter taped to his window replayed in his mind. Scanning the dimly lit room, his eyes landed on her golden hair, she was standing in the corner with Veronica and a few of the other bridesmaids. As if she knew he was thinking of her, she turned suddenly and their eyes met making his heart stutter against his ribcage. Feelings old and new swelled in his chest as he started to consider all of the “what if” possibilities that their lives could have been if he had known everything Archie had just told him. He wasn’t upset though because if there is one thing this life had taught him was that “what ifs” were not something to dwell on.

 

He wasn't sure where they stood with one another or what the future would hold now that he knew the truth but one thing was for certain: he was never going to let Betty Cooper go ever again.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to @cheryllclayton & @crashhale for previewing this chapter for me! I can't thank you enough for all your support and encouragement!!! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this update! There are two more chapters left (maybe three?) in this fic and it is my goal for it not to take 3 and 1/2 months again :D Looking forward to reading your thoughts!!! 
> 
> P & B, 
> 
> -Peyton

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Everyone! 
> 
> How's everybody doing? Okay, so since I saw The Midnight Club I kept wondering how different Betty and Jughead's lives would be if Alice never made it out of the Southside and FP stood his ground and went to college. Some of this story will be canon, some of it will be a "role reversal" of sorts between Betty and Jughead and the rest of it will be what comes out of my imagination (let's hope it's good lol). 
> 
> Looking forward to reading your thoughts/comments! 
> 
> P & B, 
> 
> -Peyton


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